Poor maternal nutrition inhibits muscle development in ovine offspring

Background： Maternal over and restricted nutrition has negative consequences on the muscle of offspring by reducing muscle fiber number and altering regulators of muscle growth. To determine if over and restricted maternal nutrition affected muscle growth and gene fed 60%, 100% or 140% of National Research Council and protein expression in offspring, 36 pregnant ewes were requirements from d 31 ＋ 1,3 of gestation until parturition. Lambs from control-fed （CON）, restricted-fed （RES） or over-fed （OVER） ewes were necropsied within 1 d of birth （n = 18） or maintained on a control diet for 3 mo （n = ] 5）. Semitendinosus muscle was collected for immunohistochemistry, and protein and gene expression analysis. Results： Compared with CON, muscle fiber cross-sectional area （CSA） increased in RES （58%） and OVER （47%） lambs at 1 d of age （P〈 0.01）; however at 3 mo, CSA decreased 15% and 17% compared with CON, respectively （P 〈 0.01）. Compared with CON, muscle lipid content was increased in OVER （212.4%） and RES （92.5%） at d 1 （P 〈 0.0001）. Muscle lipid content was increased 36.1% in OVER and decreased 23.6% in RES compared with CON at 3 mo （P 〈 0.0001）. At d 1, myostatin mRNA abundance in whole muscle tended to be greater in OVER （P = 0.07） than CON. Follistatin mRNA abundance increased in OVER （P = 0.04） and tended to increase in RES （P = 0.06） compared with CON at d 1. However, there was no difference in myostatin or follistatin protein expression （P 〉 0.3）. Phosphorylated Akt （ser473） was increased in RES at 3 mo compared with CON （P = 0.006）. Conclusions： In conclusion, maternal over and restricted nutrient intake alters muscle lipid content and growth of offspring, possibly through altered gene and protein expression.

Inflammation and nutrition in children with chronic kidney disease

Chronic infammation and nutritional imbalance are impor-tant comorbid conditions that correlate with poor clinical outcomes in children with chronic kidney disease （CKD）. Nutritional disorders such as cachexia/protein energy wasting, obesity and growth retardation negatively impact the quality of life and disease progression in children with CKD. Inadequate nutrition has been asso-ciated with growth disturbances in children with CKD. On the other hand, over-nutrition and obesity are associated with poor outcomes in children with CKD. The exact mechanisms leading to these unfavorable conditions are not fully elucidated and are most likely multifactorial. In this review, we focus on the pathophysiology of nutrition disorders and infammation and their impact on clinical outcomes in children with CKD.

Effects of maternal dietary omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and methionine during late gestation on fetal growth,DNA methylation,and mRNA relative expression of genes associated with the inflammatory response,lipid metabolism and DNA methylation in placenta and offspring’s liver in sheep

Background:Omega-3 PUFA or methionine(Met)supply during gestation alters offspring physiology.However,the effect of both nutrients on fetal development has not been explored.Our objective was to determine the effects of supplementation of these two nutrients during late gestation on fetal growth,DNA methylation,and mRNA expression of genes associated with the inflammatory response,and DNA methylation.Ewes(n=5/treatment)were fed from day 100 to 145 of gestation one of the following treatments:1)basal diet(NS)without fatty acids(FS)or methionine(MS)supplementation;2)FS(10 g/kg Ca salts,source omega-3 PUFA);3)MS(1 g/kg rumen protected methionine);and 4)FS and MS(FS-MS).On day 145,ewes were euthanized,and data from dams and fetus was recorded.Placenta(cotyledon),fetal liver,and blood samples were collected.Results:A treatments interaction on fetal liver weight,ewe body weight and body condition score(BCS)was observed;FS-MS were heavier(P<0.01)than FS and MS,and FS-MS ewes had a better(P=0.02)BCS than NS.Methionine increased(P=0.03)ewe plasma glucose concentration.Fetal liver global DNA methylation increased(P<0.01)in FS and MS.Dietary treatments modify the mRNA relative expression on some of the genes evaluated.In the fetal liver,FS increased(P=0.04)the mRNA relative expression of arachidonate-5-lipoxygenase-activatingprotein and tended to decrease(P=0.06)methionine-adenosyltransferase-1A.Moreover,MS decreased(P=0.04)DNA-methyltransferase-1 and tended to decrease(P=0.08)free-fatty-acid-receptor-1 mRNA relative expression.Furthermore,FS-MS decreased mRNA relative expression of tumor-necrosis-factor-alpha(P=0.05),peroxisomeproliferator-activated-receptor-delta(P=0.03)and gamma(P=0.04),tended to decrease(P≤0.09)interleukin-6,fatty-acid-transport-protein-1,and delta-5-desaturase,and increased adenosylhomocysteinase(P=0.04)mRNA relative expression.In cotyledon,FS tended to decrease fatty acid binding protein 4(P=0.09)mRNA relative expression.Conclusion:Omega-3 PUFA and Met supplementation improves dam’s performance in late gestation,which was positively correlated with an increase in offspring’s liver development.Moreover,FS-MS decreased mRNA relative expression of proinflammatory cytokines,and lipogenic genes,and increased the expression on an enzyme that has an important role in methylation.

Eating practices during pregnancy:perceptions of select Maasai women in Northern Tanzania

Background:Globally,pregnant women are challenged to meet sufficient and necessary dietary intake in order to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.These challenges are amplified in traditional communities,such as the Maasai,where the historical and cultural practices may further curtail,or impact on this dyad’s potential success.The research is intended to enhance understanding of Maasai women’s pregnancy and nutrition traditions as well as their beliefs.Method:Interviews with 12 pregnant Maasai women,all originally from the(Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority NCAA)area and have spent most or all of their adult lives in the NCAA,sought to answer two research questions:how do these women describe their current dietary pattern and what do they believe is the role of nutrition during pregnancy.Results:Interpretive description methodology was used to reveal five themes:(1)Eating less food makes baby come easier,(2)Not producing food means more dependence,(3)Working hard harms my baby,(4)Knowing what is needed for a good pregnancy and(5)Preferring our traditional ways for pregnancy and birth.Conclusions:There is an imperative to address nutrition throughout the perinatal period within the Maasai population and the women recognize how important nutrition is for them and their babies.Opportunities to incorporate cultural values and practices must be embedded in programmes/services to achieve success and sustainability.It is important for future prenatal programming with the Maasai in northern Tanzania and other vulnerable groups of pregnant women to build on the women’s knowledge of what leads to good pregnancy outcomes.

Nutritional regulation of skeletal muscle energy metabolism, lipid accumulation and meat quality in pigs

The quality of pork determines consumers’ purchase intention, which directly affects the economic value of pork. Minimizing the proportion of inferior pork and producing high quality pork are the ultimate goals of the pig industry. Muscle energy metabolism, serving as a regulative hub in organism energy expenditure and storage as a fat deposit, is compatible with myofiber type composition, affecting meat color, intramuscular fat content, tenderness, p H values and drip loss. Increasing data illustrate that dietary nutrients and bioactive ingredients affect muscle energy metabolism, white adipose browning and fat distribution, and myofiber type composition in humans, and rodents. Recently, some studies have shown that modulating muscle energy metabolism and lipid accumulation through nutritional approaches could effectively improve meat quality. This article reviews the progress and development in this field, and specifically discusses the impacts of dietary supply of amino acids, lipids, and gut microbiota as well as maternal nutrition on skeletal muscle energy metabolism, lipid accumulation and meat quality of pigs, so as to provide comprehensive overview with respect to effective avenues for improving meat quality.