The effects of birth weight and postnatal growth patterns on fat depth and plasma leptin concentrations in juvenile and adult pigs (original) (raw)
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animal, 2008
With genetic selection, the increase in litter size has led to higher variation in within-litter birth weights in pigs. This has been associated with a reduction in mean birth weights and a rise in the proportion of piglets weighing less than 1 kg at birth. Low birth weight pigs exhibit lower postnatal growth rates and feed efficiency, which may be explained by an inadequate digestion and/or nutrient use as a consequence of prenatal undernutrition. It is now documented that there is a relationship between birth weight and subsequent pattern of growth and development of tissues and organs. During the neonatal period, the rapid somatic growth is accompanied by tremendous anatomical, physiological and chemical composition changes. The present review focuses primarily on the influence of low birth weight on adipose tissue and the gastrointestinal tract growth and development during the suckling period. The importance of the somatotropic axis, insulin, thyroid hormones, glucocorticoids, epidermal growth factor and leptin in the regulation of these developmental processes is also considered.
Relationships among maternal backfat depth, plasma adipokines and the birthweight of piglets
Livestock Science, 2019
This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. Highlights Maternal adiposity influenced birthweight of piglets. Sow's leptin and adiponectin levels showed an inverse trend during pregnancy.
Three genetic groups of pigs-Polish Large White, Polish Landrace and line 990-were investigated for leptin concentration in blood, the expression of the leptin receptor gene in the hypothalamus, and the binding of leptin to its hypothalamic plasma membrane receptors. These parameters were correlated with average daily weight gain and fatness traits. Mean leptin concentration differed slightly between investigated groups. Unexpectedly, the lowest concentration of the hormone was observed in line 990 with the highest subcutaneous fat deposition. Simultaneously, higher mean concentrations of leptin in blood and an elevated mean leptin binding in the hypothalamus were characteristic for breeds demonstrating higher body weight gains (Polish Landrace and Polish Large White). 1 On the other hand, the analysis of correlation did not show any interdependence for the investigated parameters within the groups. These results suggest that the amount of the fatty tissue is not the only factor responsible for leptin secretion and that the intensity of anabolic processes (measured as daily weight gain) is poorly correlated with the expression of hypothalamic receptors for this hormone in the pig.
The effect of birth weight on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis function in juvenile and adult pigs
The Journal of Physiology, 2003
Programming of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis during prenatal and early postnatal life may explain, in part, the association between low birth weight (BW) and the increased incidence of cardiovascular and metabolic disease in later life. This study examined the effect of natural variations in BW on HPA axis function in juvenile and adult pigs. Low (< 1.47 kg) and high (> 1.53 kg) BW pure-bred Large White piglets from 15 litters were studied at 3 (n = 47) and 12 (n = 17) months of age. At each age, HPA axis function was tested by hypoglycaemic challenge (I.V. insulin; 0.5 IU (kg body weight) _1 ) and ACTH challenge (I.V. Synacthen, 2 mg (kg body weight) _1 ). At 3 months of age, adrenal size, the ratio of adrenal cortical to medullary area and stimulated cortisol concentrations were elevated in pigs that were of low BW and that remained small after birth. At 12 months of age, thinness at birth was associated with elevated adrenal responsiveness to insulin-induced hypoglycaemia. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that impaired fetal and early postnatal growth are associated with altered HPA axis function in later life.
Reproduction in Domestic Animals, 2011
Iberian pig is the most abundant Mediterranean swine. The lack of knowledge of the reproductive physiology of Mediterranean genotypes, with predisposition to obesity, led us to evaluate the influence of body condition and metabolic status at weaning on the resumption of follicular growth and the appearance of post-weaning oestrus. Females failing to display post-weaning oestrus showed a high decrease in backfat mass during lactation; backfat depth at weaning was therefore lower than in sows becoming in oestrus. Females not bearing oestrus behaviour showed lower plasma leptin levels and higher ghrelin concentrations at weaning. Moreover, these sows evidenced dyslipidemic profile (increased triglyceridemia and cholesterolemia) and mobilization of fat reserves. Hence, changes in metabolic regulation of Iberian pigs may originate large effects on the resumption of ovulatory activity after weaning.
Science in China Series C, 2004
The present study was aimed to investigate the developmental patterns of leptin mRNA expression in dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue and Ob-Rb mRNA expression in hypothalamus in pigs of different breeds and sexes. Erhualian gilts and boars and Large White boars were sampled at birth, 3, 20, 30, 45, 90, 120 and 180 days of age, respectively. Serum concentration of leptin was measured with RIA and single tube semi-quantitative RT-PCR was applied to determine the relative abundances of mRNA expression using 18S rRNA as an internal standard. The results showed that leptin mRNA expression in adipose tissue increased with age and displayed both sex and breed differences. In Erhualian pigs, females expressed higher leptin mRNA compared with males, and Erhualian boars showed higher abundance of leptin mRNA than Large White boars (P < 0.01). Serum leptin levels were in good agreement with adipose leptin mRNA, displaying similar sex and line differences. In contrast, expression of Ob-Rb mRNA in hypothalamus exhibited a distinctive pattern, decreased gradually after birth, and then increased till weaning. After weaning, Ob-Rb gene expression decreased gradually with age but rose gradually again from 120 to 180 days of age in Erhualian pigs. The expression of Ob-Rb mRNA was higher in Large White pigs than that in Erhualian pigs (P < 0.01). The results suggest that the serum leptin level and leptin gene expression in adipose tissue highly correlate with adiposity.
American Journal of Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2008
Low birth weight resulting from intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is a risk factor for further development of metabolic diseases. The pig appears to reproduce nearly all of the phenotypic pathological consequences of human IUGR and is likely to be more relevant than rodents in studies of neonatal development. In the present work, we characterized the model of low-birth-weight piglets with particular attention to the hypothalamic leptin-sensitive system, and we tested whether postnatal leptin supplementation can reverse the precocious signs of adverse metabolic programming. Our results demonstrated that 1) IUGR piglets present altered postnatal growth and increased adiposity; 2) IUGR piglets exhibit abnormal hypothalamic distribution of leptin receptors that may be linked to further disturbance in food-intake behavior; and 3) postnatal leptin administration can partially reverse the IUGR phenotype by correcting growth rate, body composition, and development of several organs inv...
Abundance of leptin mRNA in fetal adipose tissue is related to fetal body weight
Journal of Endocrinology, 1999
Leptin mRNA was measured in adipose tissue of fetal sheep by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR). Abundance of leptin mRNA relative to β-actin mRNA in fetal perirenal adipose tissue increased (P<0.02) with gestation, being higher at 144 d (0.73 ± 0.10, n=5) than at 90-91 d (0.40 ± 0.08, n=6) or 125 d (0.40 ± 0.04, n=5) gestation (term ~147-150 d). There was a positive relationship between relative abundance of leptin mRNA (y) and fetal body weight (x) between 90 and 144 d gestation (r 2 =0.27, P<0.01). The slope of the linear dependence of leptin mRNA on fetal weight was 15-fold greater (P<0.001) at 90-91d (y = 2.81x -1.1, n=6, r 2 =0.71, P<0.025) than between 125-144 d gestation (y = 0.195x -0.15, n=16, r 2 =0.39, P<0.01). Thus the leptin synthetic capacity of fetal adipose tissue appears to increase in late gestation but this is accompanied by constraint of its sensitivity to fetal body weight. We hypothesise that leptin synthesis in fetal adipose tissue is related to fetal nutrient supply and growth rate.
Endocrinology, 2003
We have investigated the factors regulating leptin synthesis, fat deposition, and circulating leptin concentrations in fetuses of well nourished ewes in late pregnancy. Vascular catheters were surgically inserted in 17 pregnant ewes and their fetuses at 103-120 d gestation (term ؍ 147 ؎ 3 d). Ewes were fed a diet providing either 100% (control; n ؍ 9) or approximately 155% (well fed; n ؍ 8) of the maintenance energy requirements and fetal perirenal and interscapular fat depots were collected at 139 -141 d gestation. There was a significant relationship between the relative mass of fetal unilocular fat and fetal glucose (relative mass of unilocular fat, 1.14; fetal glucose, ؉0.16; r ؍ 0.50; P < 0.04; n ؍ 17), but not insulin, concentrations in the control and well-fed groups. In contrast to the controls, there was a positive relationship between the relative abundance of leptin mRNA and fetal insulin, but not glucose, concentrations in fetal perirenal adipose tissue in the well-fed group. A moderate increase in maternal nutrition also resulted in a strong reciprocal relationship between uncoupling protein 1 and leptin expression in fetal perirenal adipose tissue in late gestation (well-fed group: uncoupling protein 1 mRNA:18S rRNA, ؊0.51; leptin mRNA:-actin mRNA, ؉1.53; r ؍ 0.80; P < 0.02; n ؍ 8). These studies provide evidence that fetal glucose and insulin differentially regulate fetal fat deposition and leptin mRNA expression within the fetal perirenal fat depot in the well nourished animal during late gestation. Abbreviations: GLUT, Glucose transporter; ME, metabolizable energy; PAT, perirenal adipose tissue; SSC, saline sodium citrate; UCP1, uncoupling protein 1.