Background:Impaired reproductive performance is the largest contributing factor for the removal of boars from commercial systems.Intrauterine growth restricted piglets represent 25%of the total number of piglets born ...Background:Impaired reproductive performance is the largest contributing factor for the removal of boars from commercial systems.Intrauterine growth restricted piglets represent 25%of the total number of piglets born and have impaired reproductive performance.This study aimed to improve the understanding of temporal changes in testicular gene expression during testes development in fetuses of different size.The lightest and closest to mean litter weight(CTMLW)male Large White×Landrace littermates were collected at gestational days(GD)45,60 and 90(n=5-6 litters/GD).Results:Testes weight and testes weight as a percentage of fetal weight were not associated with fetal size at GD60 or 90.Fetal plasma testosterone was not associated with fetal size at GD90.There was no association between fetal size and seminiferous tubule area and number,number of germ or Sertoli cells per tubule.The lightest fetuses tended to have wider seminiferous tubules compared to the CTMLW fetuses at GD90(P=0.077).The testicular expression of KI67(P≤0.01)and BAX:BCL2 ratio(P=0.058)mRNAs decreased as gestation progressed.Greater SPP1 mRNA expression was observed at GD60 when compared with GD45 and 90(P≤0.05).Lower expression of DMRT1 and SPP1(P<0.01)mRNAs was observed in testes associated with the lightest fetuses compared to the CTMLW fetuses at GD90.Conclusions:These findings provide novel insights into the expression profiles of genes associated with testicular development and function.Further,these data suggest that programming of reproductive potential in IUGR boars occurs late in gestation,providing a platform for further mechanistic investigation.展开更多
Emerging evidence suggests an important role of vitamin D in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy,and the regulation of foetal growth across mammalian species.However,the temporal changes in maternal vitamin...Emerging evidence suggests an important role of vitamin D in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy,and the regulation of foetal growth across mammalian species.However,the temporal changes in maternal vitamin D sta-tus throughout gestation in the pig and the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and litter characteristics of interest across gestation remain poorly understood and under-investigated.The abundance of 25(OH)D in maternal plasma was quantified by HPLC–MS/MS at gestational days(GD)18,30,45,60 and 90(n=5–11 gilts/GD).Maternal plasma 25(OH)D concentrations significantly increased between GD18 and GD30(P<0.05).The relationship between maternal vitamin D metabolite concentrations and litter characteristics of interest including gilt weight,ovulation rate,mean litter weight,number of live foetuses,percentage prenatal survival,and sex ratio of the litter was assessed.Maternal 25(OH)D(P=0.059)concentrations tended to be positively associated with percentage prenatal survival on GD60.On GD90,maternal 25(OH)D(P<0.05)concentrations were inversely associated with gilt weight.Maternal plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with the percentage of male foetuses in the litter on GD90(P<0.05).This study has provided novel insights into temporal changes in maternal vitamin D status throughout ges-tation and the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and the economically important litter characteristics of gilt weight,percentage prenatal survival and percentage of male foetuses in the litter.Improving the understanding of the role of vitamin D across important developmental timepoints in relation to foetal growth is essential to improve reproductive success in livestock species.展开更多
基金The Roslin Institute receives Institute Strategic Grant funding from the BBSRC(BB/J004316/1)a studentship from the University of Edinburghfunded by the National Agency for Research and Development (ANID)/Scholarship Program/DOCTORADO BECAS CHILE/2016-72170349.
文摘Background:Impaired reproductive performance is the largest contributing factor for the removal of boars from commercial systems.Intrauterine growth restricted piglets represent 25%of the total number of piglets born and have impaired reproductive performance.This study aimed to improve the understanding of temporal changes in testicular gene expression during testes development in fetuses of different size.The lightest and closest to mean litter weight(CTMLW)male Large White×Landrace littermates were collected at gestational days(GD)45,60 and 90(n=5-6 litters/GD).Results:Testes weight and testes weight as a percentage of fetal weight were not associated with fetal size at GD60 or 90.Fetal plasma testosterone was not associated with fetal size at GD90.There was no association between fetal size and seminiferous tubule area and number,number of germ or Sertoli cells per tubule.The lightest fetuses tended to have wider seminiferous tubules compared to the CTMLW fetuses at GD90(P=0.077).The testicular expression of KI67(P≤0.01)and BAX:BCL2 ratio(P=0.058)mRNAs decreased as gestation progressed.Greater SPP1 mRNA expression was observed at GD60 when compared with GD45 and 90(P≤0.05).Lower expression of DMRT1 and SPP1(P<0.01)mRNAs was observed in testes associated with the lightest fetuses compared to the CTMLW fetuses at GD90.Conclusions:These findings provide novel insights into the expression profiles of genes associated with testicular development and function.Further,these data suggest that programming of reproductive potential in IUGR boars occurs late in gestation,providing a platform for further mechanistic investigation.
基金The Roslin Institute receives Institute Strategic Grant funding from the BBSRC(BB/J004316/1).
文摘Emerging evidence suggests an important role of vitamin D in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy,and the regulation of foetal growth across mammalian species.However,the temporal changes in maternal vitamin D sta-tus throughout gestation in the pig and the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and litter characteristics of interest across gestation remain poorly understood and under-investigated.The abundance of 25(OH)D in maternal plasma was quantified by HPLC–MS/MS at gestational days(GD)18,30,45,60 and 90(n=5–11 gilts/GD).Maternal plasma 25(OH)D concentrations significantly increased between GD18 and GD30(P<0.05).The relationship between maternal vitamin D metabolite concentrations and litter characteristics of interest including gilt weight,ovulation rate,mean litter weight,number of live foetuses,percentage prenatal survival,and sex ratio of the litter was assessed.Maternal 25(OH)D(P=0.059)concentrations tended to be positively associated with percentage prenatal survival on GD60.On GD90,maternal 25(OH)D(P<0.05)concentrations were inversely associated with gilt weight.Maternal plasma 25(OH)D concentrations were inversely associated with the percentage of male foetuses in the litter on GD90(P<0.05).This study has provided novel insights into temporal changes in maternal vitamin D status throughout ges-tation and the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and the economically important litter characteristics of gilt weight,percentage prenatal survival and percentage of male foetuses in the litter.Improving the understanding of the role of vitamin D across important developmental timepoints in relation to foetal growth is essential to improve reproductive success in livestock species.
