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NMR-based metabolomics highlights differences in plasma metabolites in pigs exhibiting diet-induced differences in adiposity

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Abstract

Purpose

A better understanding of the control of body fat mass and distribution is required for both human health and animal production. The current study investigates plasma parameters in response to changes in body fat mass.

Methods

Pigs from two lines divergently selected for residual feed intake were fed diets contrasted in energy sources and nutrients. Between 74 and 132 days of age, pigs (n = 12 by diet and by line) received isoproteic and isoenergetic diets, either rich in starch (LF) or in lipids and fibres (HF). At the end of the feeding trial, plasma samples were analysed by 1H NMR spectroscopy and standard hormonal and biochemical assays.

Results

Pigs fed the HF diet had lower (P < 0.01) perirenal and subcutaneous adipose tissue relative masses than pigs fed the LF diet. Metabolomic approach showed a clear discrimination between diets, with lower (P < 0.05) plasma levels of creatinine–lysine, creatine, tyrosine, proline, histidine, lysine, phenylalanine and formate but higher (P < 0.001) plasma VLDL-LDL levels in HF pigs than in LF pigs. Plasma concentrations of triglycerides were higher (P < 0.001), while plasma concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate, leptin, glucose, insulin and urea were lower (P ≤ 0.05) in HF pigs than in LF pigs. Plasma levels of leptin, creatine and urea were positively correlated (r = 0.3, P < 0.05) with relative adipose tissue masses.

Conclusion

These data indicate that metabolites associated with energy and protein metabolism were involved in the response to a high-fat, high-fibre diet. Relevant plasma indicators of metabolic flexibility related to changes in body adiposity were then proposed.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank H. Gilbert (INRA, UMR1388 GenPhySE F-31326 Castanet Tolosan), and Y. Billon and A. Priet (INRA, UE1372 GenESI, Le Magneraud, F-17700 Surgères) for line selection, P. Roger and J. Delamarre (INRA, UMR Pegase) for animal care, G. Guillemois (INRA, UMR Pegase) for diet preparation, and J. Liger and J.F. Rouault (INRA, UMR Pegase) for animal slaughter procedures. They are also grateful to C. Tréfeu and S. Daré (INRA, UMR Pegase) for their help in sample collection and/or expert technical assistance. The current study was financially supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR-11-BSV7-004 FatInteger). M. Jégou was supported by a Ph.D. scholarship from INRA and the research fund of Région Bretagne (France).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRA, UMR1348 Pegase, 35590, Saint-Gilles, France

    Maëva Jégou, Florence Gondret & Isabelle Louveau

  2. Agrocampus Ouest, UMR1348 Pegase, 35000, Rennes, France

    Maëva Jégou, Florence Gondret & Isabelle Louveau

  3. Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, UMR CNRS 6230 CEISAM Bât 9, 2 Rue de la Houssinière, BP 92208, 44322, Nantes Cedex 3, France

    Julie Lalande-Martin & Illa Tea

  4. INRA, UR 83 Recherches Avicoles, 37380, Nouzilly, France

    Elisabeth Baéza

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  1. Maëva Jégou
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  2. Florence Gondret
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  3. Julie Lalande-Martin
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  6. Isabelle Louveau
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Correspondence to Isabelle Louveau.

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Jégou, M., Gondret, F., Lalande-Martin, J. et al. NMR-based metabolomics highlights differences in plasma metabolites in pigs exhibiting diet-induced differences in adiposity. Eur J Nutr 55, 1189–1199 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-0932-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-015-0932-z

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