Dietary soy isoflavones differentially regulate expression of the lipid-metabolic genes in different white adipose tissues of the female Bama mini-pigs.

Soy isoflavones have been shown to affect lipid metabolism, however the underlying molecular mechanism(s) have not yet been fully understood. The present study, using female Bama mini-pig as a model, examined the effects of soy isoflavones on lipid metabolism and involved gene expression in different white adipose tissues. Female Bama Xiang mini-pigs of 35 days old were fed a basal diet (control, Con), or basal diet supplemented with increasing amounts of soy isoflavones (250, 500, or 1250 mg/kg diet) for 120 days. The results showed that soy isoflavones did not affect the body weight, but decreased the dorsal subcutaneous adipose tissue (DSA) mass and increased the mass of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (ASA) and perirenal adipose tissue (PRA). Besides, soy isoflavones decreased the expression of lipogenic genes and increased the expression of lipolytic genes in DSA, while the opposite effects were observed in ASA and PRA. In addition, the expression of lipoprotein lipase was down regulated in DSA while up regulated in ASA and PRA by soy isoflavones. Moreover, the expression of estrogen receptors (ERs) was up regulated in DSA, and down regulated in ASA and PRA by soy isoflavones. Our results suggest that soy isoflavones affected the lipid metabolism in white adipose tissues of Bama mini-pigs in a site-specific manner, which might be mediated through PPARs and ERs regulated gene expression.

Effect of Soyabean Isoflavones Exposure on Onset of Puberty, Serum Hormone Concentration and Gene Expression in Hypothalamus, Pituitary Gland and Ovary of Female Bama Miniature Pigs.

This study was to investigate the effect of soyabean isoflavones (SIF) on onset of puberty, serum hormone concentration, and gene expression in hypothalamus, pituitary and ovary of female Bama miniature pigs. Fifty five, 35-days old pigs were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups consisting of 11 pigs per treatment. Results showed that dietary supplementation of varying dosage (0, 250, 500, and 1,250 mg/kg) of SIF induced puberty delay of the pigs with the age of puberty of pigs fed basal diet supplemented with 1,250 mg/kg SIF was significantly higher (p<0.05) compared to control. Supplementation of SIF or estradiol valerate (EV) reduced (p<0.05) serum gonadotrophin releasing hormone and luteinizing hormone concentration, but increased follicle-stimulating hormone concentration in pigs at 4 months of age. The expression of KiSS-1 metastasis-suppressor (KISS1), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) and 3-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/delta-5-delta-4 isomerase (3ß-HSD) was reduced (p<0.01) in SIF-supplemented groups. Expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in the pituitary of miniature pigs was reduced (p<0.05) compared to the control when exposed to 250, 1,250 mg/kg SIF and EV. Pigs on 250 mg/kg SIF and EV also showed reduced (p<0.05) expression of cytochrome P450 19A1 compared to the control. Our results indicated that dietary supplementation of SIF induced puberty delay, which may be due to down-regulation of key genes that play vital roles in the synthesis of steroid hormones.

Effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on growth performance, carcass trait, meat quality, and plasma metabolites in pigs of different genotypes.

BACKGROUND: The protein/energy ratio is important for the production performance and utilization of available feed resources by animals. Increased protein consumption by mammals leads to elevated feed costs and increased nitrogen release into the environment. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary protein/energy ratio on the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and plasma metabolites of pigs of different genotypes. METHODS: Bama mini-pigs and Landrace pigs were randomly assigned to two dietary treatment groups (Chinese conventional diet with low protein/energy ratio or National Research Council diet with high protein/energy ratio; n = 24 per treatment) in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Blood and muscle samples were collected at the end of the nursery, growing, and finishing phases. RESULTS: We observed significant interactions (P < 0.05) between breed and diet for total fat percentage, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, protein content in biceps femoris (BF) muscle, and plasma urea nitrogen (UN) concentration in the nursery phase; for average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), dry matter, IMF content in psoas major (PM) muscle, and plasma total protein and albumin concentrations in the growing phase; and for drip loss and plasma UN concentration in the finishing phase. Breed influenced (P < 0.05) growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality, but not plasma metabolites. Throughout the trial, Landrace pigs showed significantly higher (P < 0.05) ADG, ADFI, dressing percentage, lean mass rate, and loin-eye area than did Bama mini-pigs, but significantly lower (P < 0.05) feed/gain ratio, fat percentage, backfat thickness, and IMF content. Dietary protein/energy ratio influenced the pH value, chemical composition of BF and PM muscles, and plasma activities of glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, and plasma concentration of UN. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with Landrace pigs, Bama mini-pigs showed slower growth and lower carcass performance, but had better meat quality. Moreover, unlike Landrace pigs, the dietary protein/energy ratio did not affect the growth performance of Bama mini-pigs. These results suggest that, in swine production, low dietary protein/energy ratio may be useful for reducing feed costs and minimizing the adverse effects of ammonia release into the environment.