Regulation of bone phosphorus retention and bone development possibly by related hormones and local bone-derived regulators in broiler chicks

Background Phosphorus is essential for bone mineralization in broilers, however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We aimed to investigate whether bone phosphorus retention and bone development might be regulated by related hormones and local bone-derived regulators in broilers. Methods Broilers were fed diets containing different levels of non-phytate phosphorus (NPP) 0.15%, 0.25%, 0.35%, 0.45% and 0.55% or 0.15%, 0.22%, 0.29%, 0.36% and 0.43% from 1 to 21 or 22 to 42 days of age. Serum and tibia samples were collected for determinations of bone phosphorus retention and bone development parameters, related hormones and local bone-derived regulators of broiler chickens on d 14, 28 and 42, respectively. Results Tibia ash phosphorus, total phosphorus accumulation in tibia ash (TP TA ), bone mineral concentration (BMC), bone mineral density (BMD), bone breaking strength (BBS), and ash on d 14, 28 or 42, serum 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ) on d 28 and 42, mRNA expressions of tibia fibroblast growth factor 23 ( FGF23 ) and dentin matrix protein 1 ( DMP1 ) on d 14 and 28 increased linearly or quadratically ( P < 0.05), while serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) on d 28, tibia alkaline phosphatase (ALP) on d 14, 28 and 42, bone gal protein (BGP) on d 14, and mRNA expression of tibia phosphate-regulating gene with homologies to endopeptidases on the X chromosome ( PHEX ) on d 14 and 28 decreased linearly or quadratically ( P < 0.04) as dietary NPP level increased. TP TA, BMC, BMD, and ash on d 28 and 42, BBS on d 28, and ash phosphorus on d 42 were positively correlated ( r = 0.389 to 0.486, P < 0.03) with serum 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 . All of the above parameters were positively correlated ( r = 0.380 to 0.689, P < 0.05) with tibia DMP1 mRNA expression on d 14, 28 and 42, but negatively correlated ( r = − 0.609 to − 0.538, P < 0.02) with serum PTH on d 28, tibia ALP on d 14, 28 and 42, and BGP on d 14. TP TA , BMC and ash on d 14 and BMD on d 28 were negatively correlated ( r = − 0.397 to − 0.362, P < 0.03) with tibia PHEX mRNA expression, and BMD on d 28 was positively correlated ( r = 0.384, P = 0.04) with tibia FGF23 mRNA expression. Conclusions These results suggested that bone phosphorus retention and bone development parameters had moderate to strong correlations with serum PTH and 1,25(OH) 2 D 3 and tibia DMP1, PHEX, FGF23, ALP and BGP in broilers during the whole growth period, and thus they might be partly regulated by these related hormones and local bone-derived regulators.