Rates of entry and oxidation of D(-)-3-hydroxybutyrate and glucose in fed and fasted chickens

Alteration of fatty acid profile and nucleotide-related substances in post-mortem breast meat of α-lipoic acid-fed broiler chickens

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of α-lipoic acid supplementation on post-mortem changes in the fatty acid profile and concentrations of nucleotide-related substances, especially those of a taste-active compound, inosine 5'-monophosphate, in chicken meat. Mixed-sex broiler chicks aged 14 d were divided into three groups of 16 birds each and were fed on diets supplemented with α-lipoic acid at levels of 0, 100 or 200 mg/kg for 4 weeks. Blood and breast muscle samples were taken at 42 d of age under the fed condition and then after fasting for 18 h. The breast muscle obtained from fasted chickens was subsequently refrigerated at 2°C for one and 3 d. α-Lipoic acid supplementation did not affect any plasma metabolite concentration independently of feeding condition, while a slight increase in plasma glucose concentration was shown with both administration levels of α-lipoic acid. In early post-mortem breast muscle under the fed condition, α-lipoic acid had no effect on concentrations of fatty acids or nucleotides of ATP, ADP, and AMP. In post-mortem breast tissues obtained from fasted chickens, total fatty acid concentrations were markedly increased by α-lipoic acid feeding at 200 mg/kg irrespective of length of refrigeration. This effect was dependent on stearic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid and linolenic acid. However, among fatty acids, the only predominantly increased unsaturated fatty acid was oleic acid. Dietary supplementation with α-lipoic acid at 200 mg/kg increased the inosine 5'-monophosphate concentration in breast meat and, in contrast, reduced the subsequent catabolites, inosine and xanthine, regardless of the length of refrigeration. Therefore, the present study suggests that α-lipoic acid administration altered the fatty acid profile and improved meat quality by increasing taste-active substances in the post-mortem meat obtained from fasted chickens.

Continuous infusion of lipoic acid rapidly reduces plasma β-hydroxybutyrate with elevation of non-esterified fatty acids in broiler chickens

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of α-lipoic acid (ALA) on fatty acid mobilisation and ketone body production in female broiler chickens. In the first experiment, chickens received an intravenous infusion of ALA (0, 25 or 50 mg/kg per h) for 90 min. Blood was drawn at 30 min intervals, and plasma glucose, NEFA, free glycerol and hydroxybutyrate were analysed. In the second experiment, ALA (100 mg/kg per h) was continuously infused to chickens fed or fasted for at least 24 h. Changes in plasma metabolites for 90 min were determined. In the first experiment, as shown by the response area, ALA infusion did not affect plasma glucose but increased (P < 0·05) plasma NEFA, regardless of the dose level. In contrast, plasma hydroxybutyrate was reduced at the lower infusion rate (P < 0·05). No significant changes in plasma free glycerol were observed. In experiment 2, ALA stimulated both plasma glucose (P < 0·01) and NEFA (P < 0·001) and the responses were greater than those of controls, regardless of the feeding state. The interaction between ALA and the feeding condition had a significant effect on plasma hydroxybutyrate (P < 0·01). ALA reduced plasma hydroxybutyrate, and this response was greater in the fasted birds than in those fed. Therefore, the present study found a lowering effect of ALA on plasma hydroxybutyrate level and suggests that the ALA-induced plasma NEFA increment was attributable to decreased hepatic fatty acid oxidation in chickens.

How does time since feeding affect the fuels pigeons use during flight?

Time between meals can vary from multiple hours to days within and among species. We investigated the effects of time since feeding on lipid, protein, and carbohydrate oxidation in flying pigeons (Columba livia) by interpreting changes in blood plasma metabolite concentrations and mass during flight. Five pigeons were flown or rested for 4 h after food deprivations of 2, 12, 24, and 48 h. After flight, blood plasma concentrations of uric acid and beta-hydroxybutyrate were elevated over control and preflight values, indicating elevated protein and lipid catabolism during flight. Lipid oxidation, as indicated by changes in beta-hydroxybutyrate concentration, increased more in unfed flying pigeons compared with recently fed flying pigeons and with resting controls. Protein oxidation, as indicated by changes in uric acid concentrations, also positively covaried with feeding time; the covariation was mostly caused by increases in 48-h food-deprived pigeons. Unfed birds lost less mass during a 4-h flight than recently fed birds. We reasoned that recently fed pigeons oxidized more glycogen in flight than pigeons not recently fed; calculated glycogen stores explained 72%-117% of mass loss differences between 2- and 48-h-fed pigeons. Thus, time since feeding was an important determinant of the fuels pigeons used in flight.

Measures of de novo synthesis of milk components from propionate in lactating goats

Possible direct contributions of propionate to de novo synthesis of milk components by the mammary gland of lactating goats fed a concentrate-roughage diet have been studied in vivo by primed constant infusion of [1-carbon-14]propionate into the right mammary artery. Specific radioactivities of milk galactose, fatty acids, and protein were higher in the infused than in the uninfused half of the mammary gland, suggesting de novo synthesis of these compounds in the udder. Specific radioactivities of milk glucose in both udder halves were identical, ruling out any possibility of mammary gland-derived glucose from propionate of blood plasma under the experimental conditions. Of milk galactose, .8% was derived from propionate of blood plasma, and of milk glucose, 98% was derived from glucose of blood plasma. After intraruminal infusion of unlabeled propionic acid at 11 g/h, concentration of propionate in blood plasma was doubled, its contribution to milk galactose was increased to 1.5%, and proportions of milk odd-numbered fatty acids were increased. Propionate was incorporated largely into milk odd-numbered fatty acids (9:0, 11:0, 13:0, 15:0, 17:0). We conclude that small amounts of propionate can be incorporated into principal components of milk in the mammary gland of lactating goats.

Kinetics of methionine and choline and their incorporation into plasma lipids and milk components in lactating goats

Rates of entry of L-methionine and choline and their incorporations into lipids of blood plasma and milk components were studied in lactating goats fed a concentrate-roughage ration with primed constant infusion of L-[methyl-carbon-14] methionine and [methyl-carbon-14] choline. Entry rates of methionine and choline were 30 and 47 mumol/h/kg body weight. Of the methionine pool, 10 and 28% were recovered in carbon dioxide and choline of blood plasma, but the contribution of methionine to the total carbon dioxide production was negligible. Two percent of serine was derived from methionine. Six percent of the choline pool was derived from methionine, whereas labeled choline was not recovered in methionine. Methionine and choline contributed to at least 4 and 19% of the phospholipid pool. Of the methionine dose, .2 and 3.7% appeared in milk lactose and protein. Little (.3%) labeled choline was recovered in milk; however, its contribution to milk fat was 10 times as high as that of methionine. The lipogenic effect of methionine in the liver is proposed as one mechanism among others stimulating production of milk and milk fat.

Effect of propionic acid on kinetics of acetate and oleate and on plasma and milk fatty acid composition of goats

Entry rates of acetate and oleate and their incorporation into lipids of blood plasma and fatty acids of milk were studied in lactating goats fed a concentrate-roughage ration with propionic acid infused intraruminally at 0, 5.52, and 13.74 g/h by primed constant intravenous infusion of [1-carbon-14] acetate and [9, 10-hydrogen-3] oleate. Means for infusion rates were acetate, 60, 52, and 39 micrograms/ml blood plasma; propionate 9, 12, and 22 micrograms/ml; oleate, 19, 14, and 12 micrograms/ml; acetate entry rate, 3.9, 2.7, and 1.8 mmol/h per kg bodyweight; oleate entry rate, 47, 29, and 19 mumol/h per kg bodyweight; acetate oxidation rate, 2.0, 1.7, and 1.4 mmol/h per kg, and its contribution to the total carbon dioxide production, 16, 14, and 11%. Propionic acid increased incorporation of carbon-14 and hydrogen-3 into plasma lipids, elevated proportions of 7:0, 9:0, 11:0, 13:0, 15:0, and 17:0 fatty acids in milk, and tended to lower others. Specific radioactivities of milk fatty acids during infusion of propionic acid were elevated by 1.8 to 2.8 times, and total fatty acids in milk and plasma were lowered by 22 and 38%. Data support the glucogenic theory that propionic acid either directly or through gluconeogenesis stimulates insulin secretion, which in turn inhibits release of fatty acids from adipose tissue, resulting in milk fat depression.

Rates of entry of alanine and glycerol and their contribution to glucose synthesis in fasted chickens

Rates of entry of alanine and glycerol and their contribution to glucose synthesis were studied in 48-h fasted White Leghorn cockerels using primed constant intravenous infusions of L-[U-14C]alanine and [U-14C]glycerol. Entry rates of alanine and glycerol were 112 and 401 mumol/h per kg body weight, respectively. Of the total glucose irreversible loss (entry rate), 1.5 and 6.6% were derived from alanine and glycerol, respectively. The possibilities of the operation of a glyoxylate cycle and omega-oxidation of fatty acids in the fasted chicken are discussed.