Parental betaine supplementation promotes gosling growth with epigenetic modulation of IGF gene family in the liver.
J Anim Sci
; 1022024 Jan 03.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38483185
ABSTRACT
Betaine is widely used as a feed additive in the chicken industry to promote laying performance and growth performance, yet it is unknown whether betaine can be used in geese to improve the laying performance of goose breeders and the growth traits of offspring goslings. In this study, laying goose breeders at 39 wk of age were fed basal (Control, CON) or betaine-supplemented diets at low (2.5 g/kg, LBT) or high (5 g/kg, HBT) levels for 7 wk, and the breeder eggs laid in the last week were collected for incubation. Offspring goslings were examined at 35 and 63 d of age. The laying rate tended to be increased (Pâ
=â
0.065), and the feed efficiency of the breeders was improved by betaine supplementation, while the average daily gain of the offspring goslings was significantly increased (Pâ
<â
0.05). Concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) in serum and liver were significantly increased in the HBT group (Pâ
<â
0.05), with age-dependent alterations of serum T3 levels. Concurrently, hepatic mRNA expression of the IGF gene family was significantly increased in goslings derived from betaine-treated breeders (Pâ
<â
0.05). A higher ratio of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-immunopositive nuclei was found in the liver sections of the HBT group, which was confirmed by significantly upregulated hepatic expression of PCNA mRNA and protein (Pâ
<â
0.05). Moreover, hepatic expression of thyroxine deiodinase type 1 (Dio1) and thyroid hormone receptor ß (TRß) was also significantly upregulated in goslings of the HBT group (Pâ
<â
0.05). These changes were associated with significantly higher levels of global DNA 5-mC methylation, together with increased expression of methyl transfer genes (Pâ
<â
0.05), including betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT), and DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). The promoter regions of IGF-2 genes, as well as the predicted TRß binding site on the IGF-2 gene, were significantly hypomethylated (Pâ
<â
0.05). These results indicate that gosling growth can be improved by dietary betaine supplementation in goose breeders via epigenetic modulation of the IGF gene family, especially IGF-2, in the liver.
The goose industry plays important roles in economics, cultures, and ecosystems, yet the low laying and growth rates of many indigenous breeds hinders the development of the goose farming. Betaine, an important methyl donor, is commonly used as a feed additive in livestock and poultry to enhance animal growth. Dietary supplementation of betaine in laying hens or gestational sows has been reported to promote the growth of their offspring. Here, we sought to investigate whether and how dietary betaine supplementation affects the growth and development of offspring goslings. In this study, goose breeders, both male and female, were fed a basal diet supplemented respectively with 0, 2.5, or 5 g/kg betaine for 7 wk. Goslings hatched from the breeder eggs of different groups were raised under the same standard condition for assessing the growth performance. Parental betaine increases the growth rate of offspring goslings with decreased DNA methylation on the IGF-2 gene promoter and increased expression of the IGF-2 gene in the liver. These results provide scientific evidence for the inter-generational effect of betaine on gosling growth.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Betaína
/
Factor II del Crecimiento Similar a la Insulina
Límite:
Animals
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Anim Sci
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
Pais de publicación:
Estados Unidos