Treatment of lactating sows with clofibrate as a synthetic agonist of PPARα does not influence milk fat content and gains of litters

Effects of maternal feeding of clofibrate on hepatic fatty acid metabolism in suckling piglet

BACKGROUND

Energy deficiency is a leading cause of the high pre-weaning mortality of neonatal piglets in the swine industry. Thus, optimal energy metabolism is of crucial importance for improving the survivability of neonatal piglets. The effective utilization of milk fat as primary energy is indispensably required.

METHODS

Pregnant sows (n = 27) were randomly assigned into 3 treatments. Each treatment received a standard diet (3,265 kcal ME/kg) supplemented with either 0, 0.25% or 0.5% clofibrate (w/w) from d 107 of gestation to d 7 of lactation. The effects of maternal clofibrate on their milk fatty acid (FA) and performance of the piglets were evaluated. The evaluations were performed via measuring sow productive performance, milk FA composition, and hepatic FA oxidation of the piglets at birth and d 1, 7, 14 and 19 after birth.

RESULTS

Maternal supplementation of clofibrate had no effect on reproductive performance of the sows at farrowing and weaning (P > 0.05). However, the mortality at weaning was reduced for piglets from sows with 0.25% of clofibrate, and the average weekly (and daily) gain was higher in piglets from sows that received clofibrate than sows without clofibrate in the first week (P < 0.0001). Maternal clofibrate increased percentage of milk C12:0 and C14:0 FAs but decreased C18:2 and n-6 polyunsaturated FAs. Maternal clofibrate also increased plasma ketone body levels and hepatic FA oxidation measured at the first day of birth, but the increase was not detected in piglets on d 7, 14 or 19. Clofibrate was not detected in milk collected from the clofibrate-treated sows. The percentage of FA oxidation decreased, and the percentage of FA esterification increased with increasing in postnatal age. Supplemental carnitine increased FA oxidation regardless of succinate dehydrogenase inhibition, and the increase had no effect on FA esterification.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal supplementation of clofibrate during late gestation and early lactation increases hepatic FA oxidative metabolism at birth and improves growth performance of newborn piglets. Maternal clofibrate transfer to suckling piglets via milk was not detected. Carnitine availability is critical for piglets to maintain a high FA oxidation rate during the suckling period.

When Two plus Two Is More than Four: Evidence for a Synergistic Effect of Fatty Acids on Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Activity in a Bovine Hepatic Model

The inclusion of fat in livestock diets represents a valuable and cost-effective way to increase the animal’s caloric intake. Beyond their caloric value, fatty acids can be understood in terms of their bioactivity, via the modulation of the ligand-dependent nuclear peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR). Isotypes of PPAR regulate important metabolic processes in both monogastric and ruminant animals, including the metabolism of fatty acids (FA), the production of milk fat, and the immune response; however, information on the modulation of bovine PPAR by fatty acids is limited. The objective of this study was to expand our understanding on modulation of bovine PPAR by FA, both when used individually and in combination, in an immortalized cell culture model of bovine liver. Of the 10 FA included in the study, the greatest activation of the PPAR reporter was detected with saturated FA C12:0, C16:0, and C18:0, as well as phytanic acid, and the unsaturated FA C16:1 and C18:1. When supplemented in mixtures of 2 FA, the most effective combination was C12:0 + C16:0, while in mixtures of 3 FA, the greatest activation was caused by combinations of C12:0 with C16:0 and either C18:0, C16:1, or C18:1. Some mixtures display a synergistic effect that leads to PPAR activation greater than the sum of their parts, which may be explained by structural dynamics within the PPAR ligand-binding pocket. Our results provide fundamental information for the development of tailored dietary plans that focus on the use of FA mixtures for nutrigenomic purposes.

The metabolic regulation of fenofibrate is dependent on dietary protein content in male juveniles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

The fenofibrate functions in mammals could be affected by many factors such as dietary nutrient levels and physiological status. However, this phenomenon has not been well studied in fish. The goal of our study was to investigate the effect of dietary protein contents on metabolic regulation of fenofibrate in Nile tilapia. An 8-week experiment was conducted to feed fish with four diets at two protein levels (28 and 38 %) with or without the supplementation of fenofibrate (200 mg/kg body weight per d). After the trial, the body morphometric parameters, plasma biochemical parameters and quantitative PCR data were examined. These results showed that fenofibrate significantly reduced the feeding intake and weight gain rate, increased the oxidative stress (increased plasma methane dicarboxylic aldehyde) and liver : body ratio (increased hepatosomatic index) in the low protein (LP)-fed fish. In contrast, fenofibrate exhibited a lipid-lowering (reduced hepatic lipid) effect and up-regulated the expressions of the genes related to lipid catabolism, transport and anabolic metabolism in the high protein (HP)-fed fish. The present study suggested that lipid-lowering effect of fenofibrate would be strengthened in the fish fed with the HP diet containing high energy, but in the fish fed with the LP diet containing low energy, the fenofibrate treatment would cause adverse effects for metabolism. Taking together, our study showed that the metabolic regulation of fenofibrate in Nile tilapia was dependent not only on feed energy content but also on dietary nutrient composition, such as dietary protein and/or lipid levels.

Evaluation of a fibrate, specific stimulant of PPARα, as a therapeutic alternative to the treatment of clinical ovine pregnancy toxaemia

Ovine pregnancy toxaemia is a metabolic disorder affecting sheep in their last 6 weeks of pregnancy as a result of their inability to maintain adequate energy homoeostasis. Different alternative treatments are available with variable results. The aim of this research was to evaluate a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) stimulant as an alternative to treat clinical pregnancy toxaemia. Thirty-three adult sheep, with known gestation date and carrying a single foetus, were fasted from day 130 of gestation until animals showed clinical disease. From that moment onwards, sheep were treated during 6 days with three different therapeutic alternatives: 10 mg/kg of 2-methyl-2-phenoxy-propionic acid; 10 mg/kg of 2-methyl-2-phenoxy-propionic acid + 100 mL of propylene glycol oral; or 100 mL of propylene glycol oral. Glycaemia and serum β-hydroxybutyrate (BHOB) were determined daily. Liver biopsies were taken at day 130 of gestation, at the beginning and end of treatments and at 5 days postpartum, evaluating the extent and degree of the steatosis lesion. Even though in sheep treated with 2-methyl-2-phenoxy-propionic acid, serum concentrations of glucose and BHOB recovered more slowly, we conclude that 2-methyl-2-phenoxy-propionic acid alone or combined with propylene glycol can be used as an alternative to effectively treat fatty liver, and therefore pregnancy toxaemia.

Dietary Fish Oil Inhibits Pro-Inflammatory and ER Stress Signalling Pathways in the Liver of Sows during Lactation

Lactating sows have been shown to develop typical signs of an inflammatory condition in the liver during the transition from pregnancy to lactation. Hepatic inflammation is considered critical due to the induction of an acute phase response and the activation of stress signaling pathways like the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-induced unfolded protein response (UPR), both of which impair animal's health and performance. Whether ER stress-induced UPR is also activated in the liver of lactating sows and whether dietary fish oil as a source of anti-inflammatory effects n-3 PUFA is able to attenuate hepatic inflammation and ER stress-induced UPR in the liver of sows is currently unknown. Based on this, two experiments with lactating sows were performed. The first experiment revealed that ER stress-induced UPR occurs also in the liver of sows during lactation. This was evident from the up-regulation of a set of genes regulated by the UPR and numerically increased phosphorylation of the ER stress-transducer PERK and PERK-mediated phosphorylation of eIF2α and IκB. The second experiment showed that fish oil inhibits ER stress-induced UPR in the liver of lactating sows. This was demonstrated by decreased mRNA levels of a number of UPR-regulated genes and reduced phosphorylation of PERK and PERK-mediated phosphorylation of eIF2α and IκB in the liver of the fish oil group. The mRNA levels of various nuclear factor-κB-regulated genes encoding inflammatory mediators and acute phase proteins in the liver of lactating sows were also reduced in the fish oil group. In line with this, the plasma levels of acute phase proteins were reduced in the fish oil group, although differences to the control group were not significant. In conclusion, ER stress-induced UPR is present in the liver of lactating sows and fish oil is able to inhibit inflammatory signaling pathways and ER stress-induced UPR in the liver.