Effect of feed restriction and birth weight on molecular and metabolic response in the liver of pigs

摘要

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in pigs has been shown to increase body fatness and decrease meat quality (Rehfeldt et al, 2006). Moreover, IUGR was reported to lead to altered metabolic and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function later in life (Poore et al, 2003). Previous experiments indicated that caloric restriction in early postnatal life may affect liver lipid metabolism (Garg et al, 2013). In our study, the following questions were addressed at the molecular and physiologicallevel in pigs: (1) Are there differences in the hepatic transcriptional profile between low and normal birth weight. (2) Are these effects reflected on the tissue composition level. (3) Could the possible birth weight-dependent effects be modified by feed restriction. (4) Are these effects persistent.