Abnormal development of skeletal muscle with higher lipid accumulation in low birth weight goats

Abstract

AbstractLow birth weight (LBW) impairs the development and health of livestock by affecting postnatal growth performance and metabolic health in adulthood. Previous studies on indigenous goats in Southwest China showed that LBW goat kids had higher mortality and morbidity rates, including hepatic dyslipidemia and liver damage. However, the lipid metabolism in the skeletal muscle of LBW offspring remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the lipid content in skeletal muscle and the regulatory mechanism by comparing LBW goats with normal birth weight (NBW)goats. We found that the levels free fatty acids in both plasma and skeletal muscle were significantly higher in LBW goats than in NBW goats (p< 0.05). Meanwhile, transcriptome analysis revealed impairments of lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and insulin signaling in LBW goats. Correspondingly, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes annotation further indicated that lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant pathway were involved in skeletal muscle lipid dysregulation. Moreover, lipid accumulation was associated with the upregulation of genes related to fatty acid uptake and transport (FABP3), fatty acid oxidation (PPARA), triacylglycerol synthesis (LPIN1andDGAT1), oxidative stress (ANKRD2), and insulin resistance (PGC1α). These results suggest that LBW goat kids have higher lipid accumulation in skeletal muscle, which may contribute to metabolic disease and poor growth performance in later life.