Offspring subcutaneous adipose markers are sensitive to the timing of maternal gestational weight gain

Dietary Taurine Supplementation Improves the Meat Quality, Muscle Fiber Type, and Mitochondrial Function of Finishing Pigs

This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with taurine (TAU) on the meat quality, muscle fiber type, and mitochondrial function of finishing pigs. The results demonstrated that TAU significantly increased the a* value while decreasing b*45 min, L*24 h, and drip loss24 h and drip loss48 h in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. Dietary supplemented with TAU reduced the content of lactate and the glycolytic potential (GP) in the LD muscle. Dietary supplemented with TAU enhanced the oxidative fiber-related gene expression as well as increased succinic dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase activities while reducing lactate dehydrogenase activity. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with TAU increased the contents of mtDNA and ATP and mitochondrial function-related gene expression. Moreover, TAU enhanced the mRNA expressions of calcineurin (CaN) and nuclear factor of activated T cells c1 (NFATc1) and protein expressions of CNA and NFATc1. The results indicate that dietary TAU supplementation improves meat quality and mitochondrial biogenesis and function and promotes muscle fiber-type conversion from the glycolytic fiber to the oxidative fiber via the CaN/NFATc1 pathway.

Mid-pregnancy weight gain is associated with offspring adiposity outcomes in early childhood

BACKGROUND

Gestational weight gain (GWG) has been linked to childhood obesity. However, it is unclear if the timing of weight gain influences offspring body composition. A secondary analysis of a clinical trial examined the influence of total, early, and mid-pregnancy GWG on adiposity outcomes in 186 children at birth, 1, 3, and 5 years.

METHODS

Early (<15 weeks) and mid-pregnancy GWG (15-32 weeks) were assessed. Anthropometrics and abdominal ultrasound were measured annually in children from birth to 5 years. MRI was performed in a sub-group of 44 children at 5 years to estimate abdominal fat.

RESULTS

Almost half of the women (n = 86/186) gained excess weight in pregnancy, and women with a BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² (n = 33) were more likely to gain in excess. Mid-pregnancy GWG predicted higher weight (g) and subcutaneous fat by ultrasound (mm²) and MRI (cm³) at 5 years [β: 139.34 g (95% CI: -0.22; 278.90), p = 0.050; β: 1.42 mm² (95% CI: 0.06; 2.78), p = 0.041; and β: 18.56 cm³ (95% CI: 1.30; 35.82) p = 0.036, respectively].

CONCLUSIONS

Mid-pregnancy weight gain was associated with greater fat depots at 5 years, which suggests that the timing of GWG has differential effects on offspring adiposity outcomes.

IMPACT

Gestational weight gained in mid-pregnancy is associated with growth and adipose tissue development at 5 years. We observed that maternal weight gain in early and mid-gestation has differential effects on offspring body composition. Mid-pregnancy weight gain (15-32 weeks gestation) appears to influence child growth and abdominal fat accretion which may have implications for long-term metabolic health. Interventions that prevent excessive gestational weight gain in mid-pregnancy may affect obesity risk in early childhood. Prenatal care should stress the importance of optimal weight gain throughout pregnancy.

Differential impacts of late gestational over-and undernutrition on adipose tissue traits and associated visceral obesity risk upon exposure to a postnatal high-fat diet in adolescent sheep

We hypothesized that late gestation malnutrition differentially affects expandability of adipose tissues to predispose for early postnatal visceral adiposity. Twin-lambs born to dams fed HIGH (150%/110% of required energy/protein, respectively), NORM (100% of requirements) or LOW (50% of NORM) diets during the last trimester were used. Postnatally, lambs were raised on moderate (CONV) or high-carbohydrate-high-fat (HCHF) diets. Adipose tissues were sampled at autopsy at 6 months of age (~puberty) to characterize cellularity, adipocyte cross-sectional area and gene expression patterns. HIGH and LOW compared to NORM lambs had reduced intrinsic (under CONV diet) cellularity in subcutaneous and mesenteric (particularly LOW), and reduced obesity-induced (under HCHF diet) hyperplasia in subcutaneous, mesenteric and perirenal (particularly HIGH) adipose tissues. This corresponded with more pronounced HCHF diet-induced hypertrophy in mesenteric (particularly LOW), perirenal (particularly HIGH) and subcutaneous (particularly HIGH) adipose tissues, and tissue-specific reductions in mRNA expressions for lipid metabolism, angiogenesis and adipose development. Gene expression for inflammation and lipid metabolism markers were increased and decreased, respectively, in HCHF lambs (HCHF lambs became obese) in all tissues. Both prenatal over- and undernutrition predisposed for abdominal adiposity and extreme perirenal hypertrophy due to reduced intrinsic (observed under CONV diet) cellularity and impaired ability of subcutaneous, mesenteric and perirenal adipose tissues to expand by hyperplasia rather than hypertrophy on an obesogenic (HCHF) diet.