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The Effect of Linseed on Intramuscular Fat Content and Adipogenesis Related Genes in Skeletal Muscle of Pigs

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Lipids

Abstract

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of n-3 PUFA enrichment in longissimus muscle on intramuscular fat (IMF) content and expression of related genes in growing-finishing barrows. Two isoenergetic, isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated: one was basal diet and the other contained 10% linseed. Twenty-four Landrace × NewDamLine barrows weighing 35 ± 3.7 kg were randomly assigned to four treatment groups with six pigs per group. During the whole experimental period of 90 days, all groups were first fed the basal diet and then the linseed diet for 0, 30, 60, and 90 days before slaughter, respectively. Meat quality, fatty acid composition, and expression of genes involved in adipogenesis in longissimus muscle were measured and analyzed. The IMF content increased linearly (P < 0.05) as the linseed diet feeding time prolonged. Meanwhile, n-3 PUFA content and expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ), PPARγ, adipocyte fatty acid–binding protein (aP2) and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) increased linearly (P < 0.01) as well, while the expression of wingless related MMTV integration site 10b (Wnt10b) linearly decreased (P < 0.01). Furthermore, significant (P < 0.01) quadratic or linear relation was observed between n-3 PUFA enrichment and expression of these genes, while significant (P < 0.01) quadratic or linear relation was observed between the expression of PPARγ, aP2 or Wnt10b and IMF content. These data show that enhancing n-3 PUFA enrichment in muscle leads to significant increase in IMF content. A possible explanation is due to alterations in the expression of genes involved in adipogenesis, however this will need to be confirmed by protein and enzyme activity studies.

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Abbreviations

ALA:

α-Linolenic acid

aP2:

Adipocyte fatty acid–binding protein

IMF:

Intramuscular fat

LPL:

Lipoprotein lipase

MyoD:

Myogenic differentiation 1

n-3 PUFA:

n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids

PPARδ:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ

PPARγ:

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ

TNF-α:

Tumor necrosis factor-α

Wnt10b:

Wingless related MMTV integration site 10b

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the National High Technology R & D Program of China (No. 2006AA10Z140), National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 30871779) and Major Science & Technology Industrialization Projects in Wuhan City of China (No. 200720112026). All authors contributed to the preparation of the paper and agreed with the submitted manuscript content.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education & Key Lab of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China

    He-Feng Luo, Hong-Kui Wei, Fei-Ruo Huang, Zheng Zhou, Si-Wen Jiang & Jian Peng

  2. Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, 430070, Wuhan, People’s Republic of China

    He-Feng Luo, Hong-Kui Wei, Fei-Ruo Huang, Zheng Zhou & Jian Peng

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  1. He-Feng Luo
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  2. Hong-Kui Wei
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  4. Zheng Zhou
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  5. Si-Wen Jiang
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Correspondence to Si-Wen Jiang or Jian Peng.

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S. Jiang and J. Peng contributed equally.

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Luo, HF., Wei, HK., Huang, FR. et al. The Effect of Linseed on Intramuscular Fat Content and Adipogenesis Related Genes in Skeletal Muscle of Pigs. Lipids 44, 999–1010 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-009-3346-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11745-009-3346-y

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