The effect of obestatin contained in the breast milk on the structural and functional development of the offspring in the early postnatal period

Recent studies indicated that obestatin may play a regulatory role in the development of gastrointestinal track in the early postnatal period. The project aimed to understand the effect of obestatin in the development of structure and function ot he small intestine in the early postnatal period. Results shown that enteral administration of obestatin to suckling rats significanlty effects on activity of brush border enzymes, morphometry of intestinal wall as well as small intestinal epithelial renewal. The effect of observed changes was dependent on the segment of intestine studied. Significant changes in the transcriptomic gene profile were founded both in the middle part of intestine and stomach The study was conducted on suckling Wistar rats which were administrated either obestatin (NOH, 250 nmoles/ kg b.wt) or saline solution (NC) twice a day starting from the 14th day of life till the 21st day of life which was the day when all animals were euthanised.