Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
1929825 Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 2012 5 Pages PDF
Abstract

Phosphate in manure of monogastric animals pollutes the environment if improperly applied to soil. Strategies that reduce phosphate inputs into animal production systems reduce environmental pollution. Using a novel vaccine to fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), we induced neutralizing antibodies that reduced the phosphate requirement of growing chickens. Breeding hens were injected with a FGF-23 peptide (AFLPGMNP) conjugate. Antibody was passively transferred from hen to chick and chick response to deficient dietary phosphate intake was determined. Chicks without passive anti-FGF-23 antibody had a 43% and 21% reduction in blood phosphate and bone ash, respectively, when fed a phosphate deficient diet and compared to chicks fed a phosphate replete diet (P < 0.05). Chicks with circulating anti-FGF-23 antibodies fed the phosphate deficient diet had plasma phosphate and bone ash that did not differ from chicks fed the phosphate replete diet (P > 0.05). Neutralization of FGF-23 offers a new approach to reduce phosphate requirements of farmed animals and may provide a new means to reduce phosphate pollution related to animal farming.

► A vaccine can be used to change a nutrient requirement of an animal. ► Antibody to a specific FGF-23 peptide reduces the phosphate requirements of chicks. ► Maternal transfer of anti-FGF-23 reduces the need to add phosphate to commercial chicken diets.

Related Topics
Life Sciences Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology Biochemistry
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