Periconceptual Maternal Nutrition Affects Fetal Liver Programming of Energy- and Lipid-Related Genes

Authors

Wellison J. S. Diniz, Auburn University
Alison K. Ward, North Dakota State University
Kacie L. McCathy, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Cierrah J. Kassetas, North Dakota State University
Friederike Baumgaertner, North Dakota State University
Lawrence P. Reynolds, North Dakota State University
Pawel P. Borowicz, North Dakota State University
Kevin K. Sedivec, North Dakota State University
James D. Kirsch, North Dakota State University
Sheri T. Dorsam, North Dakota State University
Tammi L. Neville, North Dakota State University
J. Chris Forcherio, Purina Animal Nutrition LLC
Ronald Scott, Purina Animal Nutrition LLC
Joel S. Caton, North Dakota State University
Carl R. Dahlen, North Dakota State University

Date of this Version

2-9-2023

Citation

Diniz,W.J.S.;Ward, A.K.; McCarthy, K.L.; Kassetas, C.J.; Baumgaertner, F.; Reynolds, L.P.; Borowicz, P.P.; Sedivec, K.K.; Kirsch, J.D.; Dorsam, S.T.; et al. Periconceptual Maternal Nutrition Affects Fetal Liver Programming of Energy- and Lipid-Related Genes. Animals 2023, 13, 600. https:// doi.org/10.3390/ani13040600

Comments

Open access.

Abstract

During pregnancy, the fetus relies on the dam for its nutrient supply. Nutritional stimuli during fetal organ development can program hepatic metabolism and function. Herein, we investigated the role of vitamin and mineral supplementation (VTM or NoVTM—at least 71 days pre-breeding to day 83 of gestation) and rate of weight gain (low (LG) or moderate (MG)—from breeding to day 83) on the fetal liver transcriptome and the underlying biological pathways. Crossbred Angus beef heifers (n = 35) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design (VTM_LG, VTM_MG, NoVTM_LG, and NoVTM_MG). Gene expression was measured with RNA-Seq in fetal livers collected on day 83 ± 0.27 of gestation. Our results show that vitamin and mineral supplementation and rate of weight gain led to the differential expression of hepatic genes in all treatments. We identified 591 unique differentially expressed genes across all six VTM-gain contrasts (FDR ≤ 0.1). Over-represented pathways were related to energy metabolism, including PPAR and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, as well as lipid metabolism, mineral transport, and amino acid transport. Our findings suggest that periconceptual maternal nutrition affects fetal hepatic function through altered expression of energy- and lipid-related genes.