Functional analysis finds differences on the muscle transcriptome of pigs fed an n-3 PUFA-enriched diet with or without antioxidant supplementations

Abstract

Supplementing pig diets with n -3 polyunsaturated fatty acids ( n- 3 PUFA) may produce meat products with an increased n -3 fatty acid content, and the combined antioxidants addition could prevent lipid oxidation in the feed. However, to date, the effects of these bioactive compounds at the molecular level in porcine skeletal muscle are mostly unknown. This study aimed to analyse changes in the Longissimus thoracis transcriptome of 35 pigs fed three diets supplemented with: linseed (L); linseed, vitamin E and Selenium (LES) or linseed and plant-derived polyphenols (LPE). Pigs were reared from 80.8 ± 5.6 kg to 151.8 ± 9.9 kg. After slaughter, RNA-Seq was performed and 1182 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were submitted to functional analysis. The L vs LES comparison did not show differences, while L vs LPE showed 1102 DEGs and LES vs LPE 80 DEGs. LPE compared to the other groups showed the highest number of up-regulated genes involved in preserving muscle metabolism and structure. Results enlighten that the combined supplementation of bioactive lipids ( n- 3 PUFA from linseed) with plant extracts as a source of polyphenols increases, compared to the only addition of linseed, the expression of genes involved in mRNA metabolic processes and transcriptional regulation, glucose uptake and, finally, in supporting muscle development and physiology. These results improve the knowledge of the biological effect of bioactive compounds in Longissimus thoracis muscle, and sustain the growing interest over their use in pig production.

Effects of high linolenic acid diet supplemented with synthetic or natural antioxidant mix on live performance, carcass traits, meat quality and fatty acid composition of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle of medium-heavy pigs

“…This could be due to different effects of diets enriched with n-3 PUFA and natural or synthetic antioxidants in modulating the expression of pig skeletal muscle genes involved in de novo synthesis of FA and metabolism of lipids. Vitali et al (2019) reported a more evident stimulation of the expression of genes involved in controlling muscle metabolism when n-3 dietary PUFA are administered in association with polyphenols-enriched diet.…”

Nutrigenomics in livestock—recent advances

“…The diet with additional polyphenols seemed to have a major effect on genes involved in muscle development, as the expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism and immune system was increased (Sirri et al 2018). These observations were confirmed in a later study by the same research group (Vitali et al 2019). Recently, the yeast-derived mannan-rich fraction was tested in piglets (Fouhse et al 2019); the mannan is considered an antioxidant and an antiproliferative polysaccharide that plays a protective role against gastrointestinal infections.…”

Transcriptomic changes in bovine skeletal muscle cells after resveratrol treatment

“…So far, to the best of our knowledge very few, if any (e.g., in rats (Zhou et al, 2019), in pigs (Vitali et al, 2019)), studies have analyzed bovine muscle transcriptomes in response to treatment with RSV. Therefore, the aim of this study was to conduct a genome-wide transcriptome study on beef skeletal muscle cells in the absence and presence of RSV to reveal differentially expressed genes.…”