Adipose tissue proteomes of intrauterine growth-restricted piglets artificially reared on a high-protein neonatal formula

From stability to reliability: Unveiling the un-biased reference genes in porcine ovarian granulosa cells under different conditions

Selection of optimal reference genes (RGs) is fundamental for functional genomics studies and gene expression analysis, which are two main approaches to identify functional genes and their expression patterns. However, no systematic study has identified the suitable RGs in porcine ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) which are essential for follicle fate and sow fertility. In this study, the expression profiles of 12 widely-used RGs (GAPDH, RPLP0, ACTB, TUBA1B, EIF3K, PPIA, ATP5F1, B2M, HPRT1, UBC, RPS3, and EEF1A1) in porcine GCs during follicular development and under different abiotic stresses were systematically investigated. Expression stability of the candidate RGs were comprehensively accessed by five statistical algorithms including ΔCt, NormFinder, BestKeeper, geNorm, and RefFinder, indicating that RPS3 and PPIA are the optimal RGs during follicular development, EEF1A1 and RPLP0 are most stable under oxidative stress and inflammation, while ATP5F1, B2M, and RPS3 have higher stability under starvation and heat stress. Notably, the most commonly used RGs (ACTB, GAPDH, and TUBA1B) exhibited low stability in GCs. Reliability of stable RGs was verified by RT-qPCR and showed that selection of the stable RGs significantly improved the detection accuracy of qPCR, which confirms once again that the stability of RGs should not be taken for granted. Our findings identified optimal RG sets in porcine GCs under different conditions, which is helpful in future studies to accurately identify the key regulators and their expression patterns during follicular development in sows.

Review: Implication of redox imbalance in animal health and performance at critical periods, insights from different farm species

The process of oxidative stress occurs all over the production chain of animals and food products. This review summarises insights obtained in different farm species (pigs, ruminants, poultry, and fishes) to underpin the most critical periods for the venue of oxidative stress, namely birth/hatching and weaning/start-feeding phase. Common responses between species are also unravelled in periods of high physiological demands when animals are facing dietary deficiencies in specific nutrients, suggesting that nutritional recommendations must consider the modulation of responses to oxidative stress for optimising production performance and quality of food products. These conditions concern challenges such as heat stress, social stress, and inflammation. The magnitude of the responses is partly dependent on the prior experience of the animals before the challenge, reinforcing the importance of nutrition and other management practices during early periods to promote the development of antioxidant reserves in the animal. When these practices also improved the performance and health of the animal, this further confirms the central role played by oxidative stress in physiologically and environmentally induced perturbations. Difficulties in interpreting responses to oxidative stress arise from the fact that the indicators are only partly shared between studies, and their modulations may also be challenge-specific. A consensus about the best indicators to assess pro-oxidative and antioxidant pathways is of huge demand to propose a synthetic index measurable in a non-invasive way and interpretable along the productive life of the animals.

Fat deposition deficiency is critical for the high mortality of pre-weanling newborn piglets

BACKGROUND

The high mortality of pre-weanling piglets is a dominant challenge which severely restricts the development of pig industry. A number of factors including nutrients imbalance and temperature variation during postnatal period of piglets have been reported to closely associated with the high mortality of postnatal piglets. This study aims to find out the relationship between fat deposition and survival of newborn piglets.

RESULTS

There were no differences in organ coefficient and bone density between the surviving and dead piglets (P > 0.05). The body weight and the fat deposition in the dead piglets were lower than the live individuals (P < 0.05). Consistently, the average sizes of white adipocytes in back and abdominal adipose tissues of dead piglets were smaller than the survivals (P < 0.05). The protein expression levels of adipocyte differentiation markers PPARγ and C/EBPα in the back and abdominal adipose tissues were lower in dead piglets compared to live piglets. The mRNA expressions of thermogenic markers PGC1α and PRDM16 in adipose tissues were decreased in the dead piglets (P < 0.05). The microarray of back fat samples from the surviving and dead piglets were conducted; two down-regulated genes namely AAMDC and CASTOR1 were identified from the dead piglets. According to quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR) analysis, the mRNA expression of AAMDC decreased, whereas CASTOR1 expression elevated in the dead piglets compared to the surviving piglets (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The fat deposition and adipocyte differentiation in the dead piglets are insufficient compared to the surviving piglets, which may attenuate the thermogenic ability of white adipose tissue (WAT). Our data indicate that fat deposition in newborn piglets is vital to their survival.

Proteomic changes of the porcine skeletal muscle in response to chronic heat stress

BACKGROUND

Heat stress (HS) has an adverse effect on meat quality; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms altering meat quality due to muscle responses to stress remain unclear. Sixteen castrated male crossbreeds between Landrace × Yorkshire sows and Duroc boars (79.00 ± 1.50 kg body weight) were exposed to either thermal neutral (22 °C, n = 8) or HS (30 °C, n = 8) conditions for 3 weeks. Subsequently, the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of all pigs was assayed for meat quality parameters and proteome analysis.

RESULTS

HS decreased post mortem (24 h) pH and intramuscular fat, changed ultimate L*, a* and b* values and increased drip loss and shear force. Proteome analysis of the LD was conducted by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. A total of 23 differentially expressed proteins were identified, of which three were verified by western blotting analysis. The identified proteins were involved in six types of biological process: carbohydrate metabolism, myofibrillar and cytoskeleton structure, stress response, antioxidant and detoxification, calcium binding and cellular apoptosis. Interestingly, HS induced higher levels of heat shock protein, antioxidants and calcium binding proteins, which are involved in the mechanisms of defense and homeostasis.

CONCLUSION

The results indicate that HS-induced changes in the expression of myofibrillar proteins, glucose and energy metabolism-related proteins, heat shock protein and antioxidant enzymes might, at least partly, contribute to increase in meat tenderness. These findings will provide the foundation for developing future mitigating solutions and preventative therapies to reduce the detrimental effects of chronic HS on muscle function, metabolism and meat quality. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Invited review: Pre- and postnatal adipose tissue development in farm animals: from stem cells to adipocyte physiology

Both white and brown adipose tissues are recognized to be differently involved in energy metabolism and are also able to secrete a variety of factors called adipokines that are involved in a wide range of physiological and metabolic functions. Brown adipose tissue is predominant around birth, except in pigs. Irrespective of species, white adipose tissue has a large capacity to expand postnatally and is able to adapt to a variety of factors. The aim of this review is to update the cellular and molecular mechanisms associated with pre- and postnatal adipose tissue development with a special focus on pigs and ruminants. In contrast to other tissues, the embryonic origin of adipose cells remains the subject of debate. Adipose cells arise from the recruitment of specific multipotent stem cells/progenitors named adipose tissue-derived stromal cells. Recent studies have highlighted the existence of a variety of those cells being able to differentiate into white, brown or brown-like/beige adipocytes. After commitment to the adipocyte lineage, progenitors undergo large changes in the expression of many genes involved in cell cycle arrest, lipid accumulation and secretory functions. Early nutrition can affect these processes during fetal and perinatal periods and can also influence or pre-determinate later growth of adipose tissue. How these changes may be related to adipose tissue functional maturity around birth and can influence newborn survival is discussed. Altogether, a better knowledge of fetal and postnatal adipose tissue development is important for various aspects of animal production, including neonatal survival, postnatal growth efficiency and health.

Dysregulation of sirtuins and key metabolic genes in skeletal muscle of pigs with spontaneous intrauterine growth restriction is associated with alterations of circulating IGF-1

Prenatal and early postnatal life determines future health, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) - associated low birth weight predisposes to metabolic syndrome in adulthood. We hypothesize here that IUGR might induce hormonal and gene expression alterations predisposing to metabolic disease. Using a porcine model of spontaneous IUGR, we determined in utero (71, 112days post-conception) and early-postnatal (2days post-birth) IGF-1, insulin and leptin levels, and in parallel we investigated, in skeletal muscle, the developmental expression patterns of sirtuins and metabolic and signaling genes IRS1, GLUT4, HK2 and GAPDH. IUGR was associated with impaired IGF-1 plasmatic levels. Gene expression of sirtuin 1, 5, 6, 7, GLUT4 and HK2 exhibited significant correlations with gestational age or body weight. SIRT1 and HK2 expression displayed an age- and weight-dependent downregulation in controls, which was lost in IUGR pigs. Conversely, SIRT2 and GLUT4 were upregulated in IUGR pigs. Within the set of genes studied, we found a significant correlation between IGF-1 levels and gene expression in control, but not IUGR samples, indicating that lower IGF-1 may be a limiting factor in IUGR. IUGR-dependent gene alterations were partly linked to epigenetic changes on histone H3 acetylation and methylation. Overall, our data indicate that several sirtuins and metabolic genes display specific gene expression trajectories during fetal and early postnatal life. Gene expression alterations observed in IUGR are correlated to IGF-1 dysregulation. Given the importance of the genes studied in metabolic control, their perinatal alterations might contribute to the predisposition to metabolic disease of adulthood.

PPIA is a novel adipogenic factor implicated in obesity

OBJECTIVE

To assess the role of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase a (PPIA) in adipogenesis and obesity.

METHODS

Fat mass and adipocyte sizes of PPIA-/- and wild-type mice were compared. The role of PPIA in adipocyte differentiation of 3T3L1 and MEFs cells was analyzed by gene silencing and overexpression. The roles of PPIA in obesity were observed on a high-fat diet obesity model and a gestational diabetes obesity model.

RESULTS

PPIA-/- mice had significantly less fat than PPIA+/+ mice. The adipocyte size of PPIA-/- mice was significantly smaller than wild type. Silencing PPIA in 3T3L1 cells significantly impaired its adipocyte differentiation ability. Similarly, MEFs from PPIA-/- mice differentiated less than wild type, while their differentiation ability was restored by PPIA overexpression. PPIA-silenced 3T3L1 cells had significantly lower expression of PPARG, C/EBPA, and C/EBPB at late stage of adipocyte differentiation, which was the same in PPIA-/- MEFs. When fed a high-fat diet, PPIA-/- mice gained significantly less weight than wild type, accompanied by reduced PPARG, C/EBPA, and C/EBPB expression. PPIA expression was significantly higher in adipose tissue of gestational diabetes rat offspring, which had higher inguinal fat/body weight ratios than normal rat offspring.

CONCLUSIONS

PPIA was a novel adipogenic factor important in obesity.

Birth weight alters the response to postnatal high-fat diet-induced changes in meat quality traits and skeletal muscle proteome of pigs

Low birth weight (LBW) exerts persistent effects on the growth and development of offspring. The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that LBW alters the response of pigs to high-fat (HF) diet-induced changes in meat quality and skeletal muscle proteome. Normal-birth weight (NBW) and LBW piglets were fed a control diet or a HF diet from weaning to slaughter at 110 kg body weight. Most of the meat quality traits were influenced by LBW. Meat quality analysis revealed that LBW piglets had a greater ability to deposit intramuscular lipids than their heavier littermates when fed a HF diet. Increased shear force, lower pH45min and drip loss were observed in the skeletal muscle of LBW piglets compared with NBW piglets. Proteomic analysis revealed forty-six differentially expressed proteins in the skeletal muscle of LBW and NBW piglets fed the control diet or HF diet. These proteins play a central role in cell structure and motility, glucose and energy metabolism, lipid metabolism, and cellular apoptosis, as well as stress response. Of particular interest is the finding that LBW altered the response to HF diet-induced changes in the expression of proteins related to stress response (heat shock protein) and glucose and energy metabolism (pyruvate kinase, phosphoglycerate mutase, enolase and triosephosphate isomerase). Taken together, our findings revealed that the HF diet-induced changes in the expression of glucose and energy metabolism-related proteins varied between NBW and LBW piglets, which provides a possible mechanism to explain higher intramuscular fat store in LBW pigs when fed a HF diet.

Molecular heterogeneities of adipose depots - potential effects on adipose-muscle cross-talk in humans, mice and farm animals

Adipose tissue is considered as a major endocrine organ that secretes numerous proteins called adipokines. The heterogeneous nature of adipose tissue in different parts of the body suggests respective heterogeneity of proteomes and secretomes. This review consolidates knowledge from recent studies targeting the diversity of different adipose depots affecting the pattern of secreted adipokines and discusses potential consequences for the cross-talk between adipose and skeletal muscle in humans, rodent models and farm animals. Special attention is paid to muscle-associated fat depots like inter- and intramuscular fat that become focus of attention in the context of the rather new notion of skeletal muscle as a major endocrine organ. Understanding the complexity of communication between adipocytes and skeletal muscle cells will allow developing strategies for improvement of human health and for sustainable production of high quality meat.

Application of proteomics technology in adipocyte biology

Obesity and its associated complications have reached epidemic proportions in Western-type societies. Concomitantly, the obesity incidence in developing countries is increasing. One hallmark of obesity is the differentiation of pre-adipocytes into mature triglyceride-loaded adipocytes present in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue depots. This may ultimately lead to dysfunctional adipose tissue together with detrimental changes in the profiles of (pre-)adipocyte-secreted proteins, known as adipokines. Obesity-induced alterations in adipokine profiles contribute to the development of obesity-associated disorders. Consequently, the interest in the molecular events responsible for adipose tissue modifications during weight gain and weight loss as well as in the aetiology of obesity-associated disorders is growing. Molecular mechanisms involved in pre-adipocyte differentiation and alterations in adipokine profiles have been examined at the gene and protein level by high-throughput technologies. Independent proteomics studies have contributed significantly to further insight into adipocyte biology, particularly with respect to adipokine profiling. In this review novel findings obtained with adipo-proteomics studies are highlighted and the relevance of proteomics technologies to further understand molecular aspects of adipocyte biology is discussed.