CIDE gene expression in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle from obese and lean pigs

Abstract

The expression of the cell death-inducing DNA fragmentation factor α-like effector (CIDE) family including Cidea, Cideb, and Cidec was significantly increased in mouse and human models of obesity. However, there was less information on these genes' expression in pigs. Here, we hypothesized that different fat accumulation between lean (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire gilts, DLY) and obese (Lantang) pigs was attributed to porcine CIDE-modulating lipid metabolism. Our data showed that Cidea and Cidec were expressed at a high level in adipose tissue, and at a relatively high level in skeletal muscle, whereas Cideb was mainly expressed in the liver in both breeds of pig. Lantang pigs had higher white adipose and skeletal muscle Cidea and Cidec mRNA abundance, and hepatic and muscle Cideb mRNA than DLY pigs. Lipid metabolism-related genes including sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c), hepatocyte nuclear factor-4α (HNF-4α), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), fatty acid synthase (FASN), diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), and DGAT2 showed a higher expression level in adipose tissue from obese pigs than in that from lean pigs. Lantang pigs exhibited higher mRNA abundance for liver SREBP-1c, HNF-4α, and PGC-1α, and higher skeletal muscle SREBP-1c, HNF-4α, PGC-1α, and DGAT2 expression, as compared with DLY pigs. However, the perlipin2 mRNA levels in adipose tissues, liver, and skeletal muscle were significantly lower in obese pigs than in their lean counterparts. Furthermore, plasma non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA), glucose, and triacylglycerol (TAG) levels were greater in obese pigs than in lean pigs. Finally, data from correlation analysis further found that CIDE mRNA expression was positively correlated with back fat thickness (BFT), abdominal fat mass (AFM), and the levels of NEFA, TAG, and glucose in the two breeds. Collectively, these data revealed that the porcine CIDEs possibly modulated lipid metabolism and contributed to the development of fat deposition and obesity in Lantang pigs.

Keywords: Cell death-inducing DNA fragmentation factor α-like effector (CIDE); Adipose tissue; Liver; Skeletal muscle; Fat deposition; Lantang pig; DLY pig.

Fig. 1

CIDE gene expression patterns Relative mRNA levels of Cidea, Cideb, and Cidec in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle of Langtang and DLY pigs. Data were expressed as mean±SEM, with n=8. ^* P<0.05, ^** P<0.01, ^*** P<0.001 vs. DLY pigs

Fig. 2

Relative mRNA levels of SREBP-1c, HNF-4α, PGC-1α, FASN, DGAT1, DGAT2, and perlipin2 in adipose tissue, liver, and skeletal muscle from Lantang and DLY pigs Data were expressed as mean±SEM, with n=8. ^* P<0.05, ^** P<0.01, ^*** P<0.001 vs. DLY pigs

Fig. 3

Plasma levels of NEFA (a), TAG (b), glucose (c), total cholesterol (d), LDL-cholesterol (e), and HDL-cholesterol (f) in Lantang and DLY pigs The results show higher plasma levels of NEFA, TAG, and glucose in Lantang pigs than in DLY pigs. Data were expressed as mean±SEM, with n=8. ^* P<0.05, ^** P<0.01, ^*** P<0.001. NS: not statistical significant; NEFA: non-esterified fatty acid; TAG: triacylglycerol; LDL: low density lipoproteins; HDL: high density lipoproteins