The objective of the research was to identify the presence of adiponectin receptors and to study adiponectin action on glucose uptake and growth in mouse mammary epithelial cells. These cells expressed adiponectin receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2. Insulin (10 ng/ml) or insulin like growth factor-I (IGF-I, 10 ng/ml) alone did not alter the degree of AdipoR1 and AdipoR2 genes expression from 0 to 4 h incubation. Prolactin (10 ng/ml) or epidermal growth factor (EGF, 10 ng/ml) alone also did not induce the two genes’ mRNA in the incubation time. Adiponectin (1 μg/ml) alone or pre-incubation of insulin alone (100 ng/ml) for 2 h prior to adiponectin stimulation did not increase 2-deoxy-D-glucose,[1,2-3H] uptake but adiponectin+pre-incubation of insulin significantly increased glucose uptake compare to control (p<0.05). In a similar way, insulin alone or pre-incubation of adiponectin alone (2 h) did not increase glucose uptake but insulin+pre-incubation of adiponectin increased glucose uptake compare to control (p<0.05). Insulin sensitization for 2 h prior to adiponectin stimulation tended to increase glucose uptake response by the following adiponectin stimulation showing small interaction effect between insulin and adiponectin (p<0.1). However, adiponectin sensitization for 2 hours prior to insulin stimulation did not shown interaction effect between adiponectin and insulin (p>0.1). The glucose uptake by both of hormones seems to be not interactive but additive (p<0.05). Adiponectin in the presence of 2% FBS decreased DNA synthesis of mammary epithelia (p<0.05). AICAR (100 or 200 μM), AMPK activator, decreased mammary epithelial cell growth in the presence of 2% FBS. These results indicate that adiponectin pathway has inhibitory effect on mammary epithelial cell growth.

Antler of deer have been used in Asia as a dietary supplementary or alternative medical substance. The antler contains various biological active substances, including ganglioside has been known to promote growth, bone hyperactivity, immune function, protein synthesis and various pharmacological action. Therefore, this study was to investigate the effect of antler on productivity of broiler chicks. Feeding trial has a number of 240 broiler chicks was conducted to investigate the effect of antler extract (AE) treated feeds on body performance, breast meat composition and characteristics in broilers. Each treatment had 15 chicks with 4 replications. The supplementation level of AE treated feeds was 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9% in the experimental diets. The results obtained were summarized as follows: Average body weight gain was significantly (p<0.05) increased in broilers fed with AE compared to that of control during overall periods. Especially, the body weight gain of 0.9% AE treated chickens showed highly increased by 6.0% compare to the control. Average feed intake was not significantly different among the treatments. Average feed efficiency was significantly (p<0.05) improved by 4% in broiler chicks fed with AE compare to that of control. Average breast meat composition and concentration of cholesterol were also not different by feeding the AE. In breast meat characteristics, the shear force (kg/0.5inch2) of breast meat showed similar results in all treatments. The cooking loss of breast meat was significantly lower in the chick fed AE than that of control. But the water holding capacity (%) of breast meat was significantly (p<0.05) higher in the chicks fed AE than that of control. In breast meat color of chicks were not significantly different in all treatments. The thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and volatile base nitrogen (VBN) value were not showed different with all treatments. Also, the fatty acids composition of breast meat were showed similar results in all treatments. In conclusion, the dietary feed of AE tended to improve the body weight gain and feed efficiency, but did not influenced breast meat characteristics of broiler chicks