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This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 93/6/763    most recent expphysiol.2007.041145v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Google Scholar Articles by Tatara, M. R. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Tatara, M. R. Related Collections Neuroendocrinology/Endocrinology

¹ Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, The Agricultural University of Lublin, ul. Akademicka 12, 20-950 Lublin, Poland

Nutritional and metabolic exposure during critical periods of prenatal and neonatal development in animals and humans may induce long-term effects on health status in later life. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of neonatal treatment with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) during the first 3 weeks of life on programming of skeletal development in sheep. The study was performed on 12 male sheep divided into two groups. While the control group was treated with placebo, the lambs in the HMB group received the calcium salt of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate at a daily dose of 0.1 g (kg body weight)^–1. The assessment of growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and biochemical bone turnover markers in serum was performed in 21- and 130-day-old animals. Post mortem, volumetric bone mineral density, morphological and mechanical properties were determined in femur and lumbar vertebrae. Neonatal treatment with HMB increased serum concentrations of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin, GH and IGF-1 in 21-day-old lambs by 125.2, 93.8, 71.8 and 70.9%, respectively (P 0.05). The C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) concentration was increased in 130-day-old animals from the HMB group by 33.1% (P = 0.03). Furthermore, HMB administration improved bone weight, volumetric bone mineral density and bone morphological and mechanical properties of femur and lumbar spine. In conclusion, this study showed long-term beneficial effects of neonatal treatment with HMB on programming of peripheral and axial skeleton properties that were mediated by a transient improvement of somatotrophic axis function and acceleration of bone metabolism.

(Received 18 October 2007; accepted after revision 7 February 2008; first published online 8 February 2008)
Corresponding author: M. R. Tatara: The Agricultural University of Lublin, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Physiology, ul. Akademicka 12, 20-950 Lublin, Poland. Email: matatar{at}o2.pl, marcinta{at}o2.pl