Changes in adiponectin concentration and insulin sensitivity during lactational phases in rabbits

Abstract EN

The study was carried out to investigate the changes in plasma adiponectin during the period of lactation in rabbits.

It was carried out using 24 New Zealand White rabbits, 20 mature females and 4 mature males weighting approximately 3kg bodyweight.

Female animals were divided into 2 groups, one of which contain 5 females (non lactating as control group) and 15 females (lactating group) includes: early lactation phase ( from 1st – 10th day of lactation ) , mid lactation phase ( 11th - 20th day of lactation ) and late lactation phase ( 21 – 30 day of lactation ).

Insulin Sensitivity Test (IST), in which insulin was injected the peak hyperglycemia, then blood glucose level was determined post insulin injection.

Blood samples were collected from individual animal in lactating and non lactating (control) females before and after IST.

Plasma was separated for measuring adiponectin.

The results of the study revealed that: Concerning IST, during insulin injection (peak hyperglycemia), the plasma glucose level was decreased significantly (P<0.05) and gradually 30 minutes till 2 hours from insulin injection in both lactating and non lactating groups.

Regarding the effect of insulin injection on plasma adiponectin level revealed no significant differences in plasma adiponectin level before and after insulin injection in non lactating group, mid and late lactation phases, While there was a significant increase (P<0.05) in plasma adiponectin level after insulin injection in early lactation phase.