title: Expression of adipokine and lipid metabolism genes in adipose tissue of dairy cows differing in a female fertility quantitative trait locus.
abstract: We have previously characterized 2 haplotypes (Fertil+ and Fertil-) of Holstein dairy cows differing in 1 female fertility quantitative trait locus (QTL) located on chromosome 3 (QTL-Fert-F-BTA3) between positions 9.8 and 13.5 cM. This QTL is composed of 124 genes, some of them being involved in metabolism or reproduction. Primiparous Fertil+ and Fertil- cows exhibited 69 and 39% pregnancy rate at first service, respectively. A difference in plasma nonesterified fatty acid concentrations observed between both haplotypes might indicate a difference in adipose tissue mobilization. We compared adipose tissue gene expression in Fertil+ and Fertil- cows during their second lactation, at 2 physiological stages, implying either intense lipid mobilization (1 wk postpartum) or fat storage (5 mo of gestation). We investigated by reverse-transcription quantitative PCR the mRNA gene expression of 5 positional candidate genes located in the QTL-Fert-F-BTA3, as well as 18 other functional candidate genes encoding proteins involved in lipid metabolism and several adipokines. Among them, genes involved in either lipolysis or lipogenesis were chosen as controls because they were previously described in dairy cow adipose tissue. A hierarchical clustering was performed to group genes according to their expression pattern, allowing 2 clusters to be determined. Cluster 1 was composed of genes that were overexpressed during mobilization (ADIPOQ, ADIPOR2, LIPE, FABP4, PLIN1, RARRES, LEPR, and CPT1A) and cluster 2 of genes overexpressed during reconstitution of body reserves (ACACA, FASN, and SCD). Genes belonging to cluster 1 (LIPE, FABP4, PLIN1, and CPT1A) are known to be involved in lipolysis and fatty acid oxidation, and genes belonging to cluster 2 (ACACA, FASN, and SCD) are known to be involved in fatty acid synthesis. The expression of 5 genes from cluster 1 was correlated to plasma nonesterified fatty acid levels and thus to mobilization of body reserves in dairy cows (ADIPOQ, ADIPOR2, LIPE, PLIN1, and FABP4). During the mobilization stage, none of the positional candidate genes belonging to QTL-Fert-F-BTA3 (ADAR, MTX1, SHC1, SPTA1, and PAQR6) showed a difference in expression between the 2 haplotypes. Interestingly, ADIPOQ and ADIPOR2 were the only genes showing a significant mRNA overexpression in Fertil- cows at the mobilization stage. Further studies focusing on plasma adiponectin level and adipokine actions on the ovary are needed to investigate its potential role in dairy cow fertility.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; CNRS, UMR 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; Université François Rabelais de Tours, UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France; IFCE, UMR Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, F-37380 Nouzilly, France. Electronic address: sebastien.elis@tours.inra.fr.
authors.forename: Sebastien
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elis
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Coyral-Castel
authors.forename: Sandrine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Freret
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cognié
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Desmarchais
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fatet
authors.forename: Christelle
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rame
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Briant
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Maillard
authors.forename: Joëlle
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dupont
mesh_terms: D054392:Adipokines / Q000378:metabolism; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000235:genetics; D007774:Lactation; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci
chemical_list: D054392:Adipokines
keywords: adiponectin expression; adipose tissue; fertility; mobilization