Effects of combined maternal administration with alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on prenatal programming of skeletal properties in the offspring

Abstract

BackgroundNutritional manipulations during fetal growth may induce long-term metabolic effects in postnatal life. The aim of the study was to test whether combined treatment of pregnant sows with alpha-ketoglutarate and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate induces additive long-term effects on skeletal system properties in the offspring.MethodsThe study was performed on 290 pigs obtained from 24 sows divided into 4 equal groups and subjected to experimental treatment during two weeks before delivery. The first group consisted of control sows, while the second group received alpha-ketoglutarate. The third group was treated with β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate and the fourth group underwent combined administration of alpha-ketoglutarate and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate. Piglets obtained from sows were reared until slaughter age to perform morphometric, densitometric and mechanical analyses of femur. Serum evaluations of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin were performed in newborns and 90-day old piglets; additionally, plasma amino acid concentration was measured in newborns.ResultsMaternal treatment with alpha-ketoglutarate and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate significantly reduced fattening time and increased birth body weight, daily body weight gain, bone weight, volumetric bone mineral density, geometrical parameters and mechanical endurance of femur. These effects were associated with increased serum concentrations of growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-1, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin. Furthermore, alpha-ketoglutarate and β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate administered solely or in combination significantly increased plasma level of 19 amino acids.ConclusionsHormonal and amino acid evaluations in pigs indicate additive effects of AKG and HMB on systemic growth and development; however, determination of bone properties has not shown such phenomenon.

Transfer of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate from sows to their offspring and its impact on muscle fiber type transformation and performance in pigs

“…Meanwhile, higher plasma leucine, glucose, and insulin levels were observed in offspring in the HMB group, which is accordance with the results of Tatara et al [28] and Wan et al [14], and HMB could increase plasma amino acid and glucose levels of pigs [14, 28]. In this respect, insulin, glucose and amino acid were the important anabolic promoters affecting skeletal muscle protein synthesis [24], moreover, no difference were observed in mRNA expressions of MuRF1 and MAFbx , which also provided the further evidence of the similar protein degradation in skeletal muscle of pigs between treatments.…”

“…Interestingly, an important observation was that pigs from sows in HMB group had greatly higher finishing BW compared with pigs from sows in the CON group, which was similar with the results of Tatara et al [28, 29], who showed that when sow supplemented daily with 0.05 g/kg BW of HMB-Ca during the last two weeks of gestation, fattening pigs exhibited higher final BW at d 180 of age. Meanwhile, we found no statistical difference in ADFI between treatments from the weaning to d 180 after birth.…”

Dietary supplementation of β‐hydroxy‐β‐methylbutyrate in animals – a review

“…Growth hormone (GH) and insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) contribute to somatotrophic axis and play a fundamental role in the regulation of metabolism and growth in animals and humans (Tatara et al., ). Increased GH and IGF‐1 serum levels were found in the offspring of sows receiving HMB during pregnancy (Tatara et al., , ). In neonatal lambs after oral supplementation of HMB during the first 21 days of life, a 70% greater amount of GH and IGF‐1 were reported, with a subsequent decrease below control values at 130 days of life (Tatara, ).…”

“…(), Tatara (), Tatara et al. () on the basis of research performed with pigs and lambs. The authors concluded that HMB‐supplemented animals were significantly heavier at birth showed increased daily weight gain and therefore reached slaughter weight faster than the control group; however, final body weights of control and HMB‐treated groups were similar.…”

International Society of Sports Nutrition Position Stand: beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB)

“…However, there is recent epigenetic data in animal models to suggest that HMB given during pregnancy can result in prenatal programming of skeletal muscle tissue. Specifically, maternal supplementation of HMB during pregnancy resulted in greater weight and lean mass gain in piglets than those not under maternal treatment [51]. Moreover, research in growing, pre-adolescent rats suggests that HMB supplementation was able to stimulate skeletal muscle hypertrophy in the extensor digitorum longus and soleus muscles [52], and that HMB was able to increase the mTOR and phosphorylation of p70S6K in the EDL muscle [52].…”