Temporary consumption of diet with unbalanced amino acid pattern affects long-lasting growth retardation correlated with oxidative stress response associated gene expression in juvenile pigs.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The present study was conducted to study whether oxidative stress is the trigger of long-term physiological effects of temporary consumption of a soy protein isolate (SPI) based diet with an imbalanced amino acid pattern. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Hepatic expression of 19 genes that are involved in and co-regulated with oxidative stress response and showing diet-associated expression after chronic SPI feeding using quantitative RT-PCR, growth and liver composition were investigated in a model of protein-underfeeding juvenile pigs, which were fed a casein (CAS) based diet for four weeks subsequent to a four week consumption of an SPI diet in comparison with chronically CAS fed animals. RESULTS: Temporary feeding of SPI diet resulted in prolonged up-regulation of genes involved in oxidative/cellular stress response (glutathione-S-transferase, peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase, calnexin, organic anion transport polypeptide 2). Cluster analysis of gene expression data indicated persistent SPI-related co-regulation of the genes involved in stress response with genes involved in the regulation of protein biosynthesis and in neuronal signalling for at least four weeks after replacement of SPI by CAS. Gene expression data are negatively correlated with body weight and liver protein content. CONCLUSION: Significant association of oxidative stress responsiveness with growth retardation and liver composition underline the possible impact of diet-affected oxidative stress for long-lasting deleteriously metabolic consequences.

Effects of dietary energy intake during gestation and lactation on milk yield and composition of first, second and fourth parity sows.

In order to determine the effects of a varied level of dietary energy intake during pregnancy and lactation on milk yield and composition, first, second and fourth parity sows (Large White x German Landrace) were provided with energy at a level of either: (i) 100% of ME requirement (MEreq) during pregnancy and lactation, (ii) 120% MEreq during pregnancy and 80% during lactation, and (iii) 80% MEreq during pregnancy and 120% during lactation. In spite of equal target levels feed analysis revealed that gestating first parity sows with 120/80 treatment combination and lactating sows of 80/120 treatment combination received 25, and 11-17% more digestible N than in the respective 100/100 treatment combination. Irrespective of this 120/80 sows responded with the highest milk DM, fat, and energy contents, and the lowest lactose concentrations whereas protein levels where not affected, irrespective of parity (p < 0.05). Milk yield of sows in 1st and 4th lactation was 85 and 106% of that in 2nd lactation, respectively. Average milk composition was 18.1% DM, 4.9% protein, 6.8% fat, 5.6% lactose, and 0.8% ash. Milk composition changes ceased at day 7 of lactation with a reduction of milk GE and protein, and an increase of lactose content. Concentrations of threonine, arginine, valine, leucine, tyrosine, phenylalanine, cystine, and tryptophan, as well as stearic, oleic, and linoleic acid were higher in colostrum than in milk at later lactation stages. In contrast, laurine, myristic, palmitic, and palmitoleic acids were lower concentrated in colostrum. In conclusion, these results illustrate the importance of body reserve mobilization for milk production in sows and indicate that low energy supply during gestation cannot be compensated by higher energy supply during lactation.

Dietary protein modifies hepatic gene expression associated with oxidative stress responsiveness in growing pigs.

Understanding the basis for differences in nutrient requirements and for nutrient effects on health and performance requires an appreciation of the links between nutrition and gene expression. We developed and applied molecular probes to characterize diet-associated postabsorptive hepatic gene expression in growing pigs chronically fed protein-restricted diets based on either casein (CAS) or soy protein isolate (SPI). Eighty-eight expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were identified on the basis of diet-related changes in expression, by using an mRNA differential display method. Expression profiling based on transcription analysis by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed that the SPI diet significantly changed the pattern of gene expression as compared with the CAS diet and allowed identification of coregulated genes. The expression of six genes involved in the metabolism of stress response (glutathione S-transferase, peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase, apolipoprotein A-I, organic anion transport polypeptide 2, calnexin, heat shock transcription factor 1) exhibited significant changes in the transcription level and indicated an increased oxidative stress response in pigs fed the SPI diet. Hierarchical clustering of gene expression data of all 33 ESTs analyzed across 14 pigs fed the two different diets resulted in clustering of genes related to the oxidative stress response with genes related to the regulation of gene expression and neuronal signaling.