title: Effects of selenium supply and dietary restriction on maternal and fetal body weight, visceral organ mass and cellularity estimates, and jejunal vascularity in pregnant ewe lambs.
abstract: To examine effects of nutrient restriction and dietary Se on maternal and fetal visceral tissues, 36 pregnant Targhee-cross ewe lambs were allotted randomly to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. Treatments were plane of nutrition [control, 100% of requirements vs. restricted, 60% of controls] and dietary Se [adequate Se, ASe (6 microg/kg of BW) vs. high Se, HSe (80 microg/kg of BW)] from Se-enriched yeast. Selenium treatments were initiated 21 d before breeding and dietary restriction began on d 64 of gestation. Diets contained 16% CP and 2.12 Mcal/kg of ME (DM basis) and differing amounts were fed to control and restricted groups. On d 135 +/- 5 (mean +/- range) of gestation, ewes were slaughtered and visceral tissues were harvested. There was a nutrition x Se interaction (P = 0.02) for maternal jejunal RNA:DNA; no other interactions were detected for maternal measurements. Maternal BW, stomach complex, small intestine, large intestine, liver, and kidney mass were less (P < or = 0.01) in restricted than control ewes. Lung mass (g/kg of empty BW) was greater (P = 0.09) in restricted than control ewes and for HSe compared with ASe ewes. Maternal jejunal protein content and protein:DNA were less (P < or = 0.002) in restricted than control ewes. Maternal jejunal DNA and RNA concentrations and total proliferating jejunal cells were not affected (P > or = 0.11) by treatment. Total jejunal and mucosal vascularity (mL) were less (P < or = 0.01) in restricted than control ewes. Fetuses from restricted ewes had less BW (P = 0.06), empty carcass weight (P = 0.06), crown-rump length (P = 0.03), liver (P = 0.01), pancreas (P = 0.07), perirenal fat (P = 0.02), small intestine (P = 0.007), and spleen weights (P = 0.03) compared with controls. Fetuses from HSe ewes had heavier (P < or = 0.09) BW, and empty carcass, heart, lung, spleen, total viscera, and large intestine weights compared with ASe ewes. Nutrient restriction resulted in less protein content (mg, P = 0.01) and protein:DNA (P = 0.06) in fetal jejunum. Fetal muscle DNA (nutrition by Se interaction, P = 0.04) concentration was greater (P < 0.05) in restricted ewes fed HSe compared with other treatments. Fetal muscle RNA concentration (P = 0.01) and heart RNA content (P = 0.04) were greater in HSe vs. ASe ewes. These data indicate that maternal dietary Se may alter fetal responses, as noted by greater fetal heart, lung, spleen, and BW.
authors.affiliation: Center for Nutrition and Pregnancy, Animal and Range Sciences Department, North Dakota State University, Fargo, USA.
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Vonnahme
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Neville
authors.forename: S L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Julius
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Borowicz
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Redmer
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Grazul-Bilska
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Caton
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001947:Breeding; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007583:Jejunum / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009928:Organ Specificity; D011247:Pregnancy; D012313:RNA / Q000378:metabolism; D011897:Random Allocation; D012643:Selenium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012756:Sheep / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014781:Viscera / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014131:Trace Elements; D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; D012643:Selenium