Substitution of starch for palm oil during gestation: impact on offspring survival and hepatic gene expression in the pig.
Piglet neonatal mortality rates are high (~20%), so nutritional strategies to reduce this are highly desirable. Maternal fat substitution (FS) may promote the preweaning survival of piglets by improving their energy status. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of FS throughout pregnancy on offspring viability, together with the gene expression of stress-related markers in the liver. Sixteen pregnant sows were randomly allocated to one of two isocaloric diets, control (C) or FS in the form of palm oil, fed from 0 to 110 days gestation. Glucose tolerance was examined on Day 108. Median and low birthweight offspring were allocated to tissue sampling at either 7 days or 6 months postnatal age. In response to a glucose tolerance test, FS sows exhibited a raised glucose area under the curve with no change in basal glucose. Average piglet mortality (up to Day 28) was increased fourfold in the FS group, with surviving median-sized piglets exhibiting significantly lower fatty acid binding protein 1 (FABP1) expression at 7 days. There were no effects on the abundance of any other stress- or metabolic-related genes examined. Thus, this study demonstrates that maternal FS throughout gestation causes maternal glucose intolerance that may be linked to the observed increase in piglet mortality. However, the surviving offspring do not exhibit any detectable differences in postnatal growth or hepatic gene profile in later life.
Early Life Nutrition Research Unit, Academic Child Health, Obsetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University Hospital, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
K L
KL
Almond
School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK.
H P
HP
Fainberg
Division of Nutritional Sciences, School of Biosciences, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK.
M A
MA
Lomax
Schothorst Feed Research, Meerkoetenweg 26, 8218 Lelystad, PO Box 533, 8200 AM Lelystad, The Netherlands.
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P
Bikker
Early Life Nutrition Research Unit, Academic Child Health, Obsetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University Hospital, The University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK.
M E
ME
Symonds
School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, Sutton Bonington Campus, University of Nottingham, LE12 5RD, UK.
A
A
Mostyn
D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D004032:Diet; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D000073878:Palm Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013552:Swine
D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D010938:Plant Oils; D000073878:Palm Oil