title: Treatment of lactating sows with clofibrate as a synthetic agonist of PPARα does not influence milk fat content and gains of litters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In rats, it has been observed that treatment with activators of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) disturbs metabolic adaptations during lactation, which in turn lead to a reduction of milk fat content and gains of litters during the suckling period. It has not yet been investigated whether agonists of PPARα are impairing milk production of lactating sows in a similar manner as in rats. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of treatment with clofibrate, a strong synthetic agonist of PPARα, on milk composition and litter gains in lactating sows.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty lactating sows received either a basal diet (control group) or the same diet with supplementation of 2 g of clofibrate per kg of diet (clofibrate group). In the clofibrate group, mRNA concentrations of various PPARα target genes involved in fatty acid utilization in liver and skeletal muscle were moderately up-regulated. Fat and energy content of the milk and gains of litters during the suckling period were not different between the control group and the clofibrate group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is shown that treatment with clofibrate induces only a moderate up-regulation of PPARα target genes in liver and muscle of lactating sows and in turn might have limited effect on whole body fatty acid utilization. This may be the reason why clofibrate treatment did not influence milk fat content and gains of litters during the suckling period. Thus, the present study indicates that activation of PPARα induced either by native agonists such as dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids or a by negative energy balance might be largely uncritical in lactating sows with respect to milk production and litter gains in lactating sows.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany. denise.gessner@ernaehrung.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Denise K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Gessner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany. birthe.groene@ernaehrung.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Birthe
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gröne
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany. S.Rosenbaum@mx.de.
authors.forename: Susann
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany. Erika.most@ernaehrung.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Erika
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Most
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Swine Diseases, Justus-Liebig-University, Frankfurter Straße 112, 35392, Giessen, Germany. sonja.hillen@vetmed.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hillen
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Swine Diseases, Justus-Liebig-University, Frankfurter Straße 112, 35392, Giessen, Germany. sabrina.becker-2@vetmed.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.affiliation: Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University, Ludwigstraße 21b, 35390, Giessen, Germany. Georg.Erhardt@agrar.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Erhardt
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Swine Diseases, Justus-Liebig-University, Frankfurter Straße 112, 35392, Giessen, Germany. Gerald.Reiner@vetmed.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Reiner
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Nutrition and Nutritional Physiology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392, Giessen, Germany. klaus.eder@ernaehrung.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Eder
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000254:growth & development*; D002994:Clofibrate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005223:Fats / Q000032:analysis*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D047493:PPAR alpha / Q000819:agonists*; D013552:Swine; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D005223:Fats; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D008894:Milk Proteins; D047493:PPAR alpha; D014280:Triglycerides; D002994:Clofibrate