Browsing by Author "Ovilo, Cristina"

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Effects of L-glutamine supplementation during the gestation of gilts and sows on the offspring development in a traditional swine breed
(2021) Vázquez Gómez, Marta; García Contretas, Consolación; Astiz, Susana; Torres Rovira, Laura; Pesántez Pacheco, José Luis; Heras Molina, Ana; Castro Madrigal, Teresa; López Bote, Clemente; Ovilo, Cristina; Gonzalez Bulnes, Antonio; Isabel, Beatriz
The use of amino acids during pregnancy, such as glutamine (Gln), seems to be a promising strategy in selected swine breeds to improve the offspring prenatal development. The main goal of the current study was to assess the development of the offspring from parity 1–3 sows of a traditional breed, which were supplemented with 1% glutamine after Day 35 of gestation, under farm conditions. A total of 486 (288 treated) piglets from 78 (46 treated) Iberian sows were used. At birth and slaughterhouse, fatty acid composition, metabolism, and mTOR pathway gene expression were analyzed. At birth, treated newborns showed greater amounts of specific amino acids in plasma, such as glutamine, asparagine, or alanine, and Σn-3 fatty acids in cellular membranes than control newborns. The expression of genes belonging to mTOR Complex 1 was also higher in treated piglets with normal birth-weight. However, these findings did not improve productive traits at birth or following periods in litters from supplemented gilts (parity 1) or sows (parities 2–3). Thus, further research is needed to properly understand the effects of prenatal glutamine supplementation, particularly in traditional swine breeds.
Polyphenols and IUGR pregnancies: effects of maternal hydroxytyrosol supplementation on hepatic fat accretion and energy and fatty acids profile of fetal tissues
(2019) García Contreras, Consolación; Vazquez Gomez, Marta; Pardo, Zaira; Heras Molina, Ana; Pesántez Pacheco, José Luis; Encinas, Teresa; Torres Rovira, Laura; Astiz, Susana; Nieto, Rosa; Ovilo, Cristina; Gonzalez Bulnes, Antonio; Isabel, Beatriz
Maternal supplementation with hydroxytyrosol, a polyphenol present in olive leaves and fruits, is a highly promising strategy to improve the oxidative and metabolic status of fetuses at risk of intrauterine growth restriction, which may diminish the appearance of low-birth-weight neonates. The present study aimed to determine whether hydroxytyrosol, by preventing lipid peroxidation, may influence the fat accretion and energy homeostasis in the liver, as well as the fatty acid composition in the liver and muscle. The results indicate that hydroxytyrosol treatment significantly decreased the energy content of the fetal liver, without a ecting fat accretion, and caused significant changes in the availability of fatty acids. There were significant increases in the amount of total polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 and omega-6, which are highly important for adequate fetal tissue development. However, there were increases in the omega-6/omega-3 ratio and the desaturation index, which make further studies necessary to determine possible e ects on the pro/anti-inflammatory status of the fetuses.
Polyphenols and IUGR pregnancies: effects of maternal hydroxytyrosol supplementation on postnatal growth, metabolism and body composition of the offspring
(2019) Vázquez Gómez, Marta; Heras Molina, Ana; García Contreras, Consolación; Pesántez Pacheco, José Luis; Torres Rovira, Laura; Martinez Fernandez, Beatriz; Gonzalez, Jorge; Encinas, Teresa; Astiz, Susana; Ovilo, Cristina; Isabel, Beatriz; González Bulnes, Antonio
Maternal supplementation with the polyphenol hydroxytyrosol in a swine model of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) improves the fetal oxidative status, decreases the appearance of low birth-weight neonates and favors growth during early postnatal stages (lactation). The current study aimed to determine whether hydroxytyrosol supplementation can also improve developmental patterns, metabolic traits, and body composition of the offspring during later postnatal stages (from weaning to adulthood). A total of 21 piglets born from control untreated sows and 20 piglets born from sows treated with hydroxytyrosol during the last two-thirds of pregnancy were selected on the basis of similar body weights at weaning, for avoiding any interfering effects occurred during lactation. The pigs in the treated group had higher average daily weight gain (ADWG) and, therefore, reached higher body weight and corpulence, greater muscle development and higher adiposity than their control counterparts. The following were not found: significant effects on metabolism and body composition except changes in the muscular fatty acid composition of the treated pigs coming from the largest litters; those more affected by IUGR processes. These findings suggest that maternal supplementation with hydroxytyrosol may improve juvenile development of offspring in at-risk pregnancies and pave the way for more specific studies aiming to elucidate effects on adiposity, metabolism, and meat organoleptic characteristics.
The role of offspring genotype-by-sex interactions, independently of environmental cues, on the phenotype traits of an obese swine model
(2020) González Bulnes, Antonio; Heras Molina, Ana; Pesántez Pacheco, José Luis; Astiz, Susana; Garcia Contreras, Consolación; Vázquez Gómez, Marta; Beatriz, Isabel; Ovilo, Cristina
The present study aimed to assess the importance of offspring genotype on postnatal development, independently of confounding factors related to prenatal environment and postnatal lifestyle, using a translational model of obesity and metabolic syndrome (the Iberian pig). Hence, we compared two genotypes (purebred Iberian and crossbreds Iberian × Large White), produced in one single maternal environment (pure Iberian mothers) through artificial insemination of Iberian sows with Iberian and Large White heterospermic semen and maintained in the same conditions during postnatal development. The results indicate that, under same pre-and postnatal environments, the interaction genotype-by-sex has a determinant role on offspring phenotype (i.e., growth and development, metabolic and antioxidant status and fatty acid composition of different tissues). These results may set the basis for future preclinical and clinical research on the differences in the metabolic phenotype among genotypes.