To improve the efficiency of animal production, livestock have been extensively selected or managed to reduce fat accumulation and increase lean growth, which reduces intramuscular or marbling fat content. To enhance marbling, a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating adipogenesis is needed. Vitamin A has recently been shown to have a profound impact on all stages of adipogenesis. Retinoic acid, an active metabolite of vitamin A, activates both retinoic acid receptors (RAR) and retinoid X receptors (RXR), inducing epigenetic changes in key regulatory genes governing adipogenesis. Additionally, Vitamin D and folates interact with the retinoic acid receptors to regulate adipogenesis. In this review, we discuss nutritional regulation of adipogenesis, focusing on retinoic acid and its impact on epigenetic modifications of key adipogenic genes.

BackgroundMarbling, or intramuscular fat, is an important factor contributing to the palatability of beef. Vitamin A, through its active metabolite, retinoic acid, promotes the formation of new fat cells (adipogenesis). As intramuscular adipogenesis is active during the neonatal stage, we hypothesized that vitamin A administration during the neonatal stage would enhance intramuscular adipogenesis and marbling.MethodsAngus steer calves (n = 30), in a completely randomized design, were randomly allotted to three treatment groups at birth, receiving 0, 150,000, or 300,000 IU of vitamin A at both birth and one month of age. A biopsy of the biceps femoris muscle was collected at two months of age. After weaning at 210 d of age, steers were fed a backgrounding diet in a feedlot until 308 d of age, when they were transitioned to a high concentrate finishing diet and implanted with trenbolone/estradiol/tylosin mixture. Steers were harvested at an average of 438 d of age. All diets were formulated to meet nutrient requirements.ResultsWeaning weight and weight during the backgrounding phase were linearly increased (P <  0.05) by vitamin A level, though no difference in body weight was observed at harvest. Intramuscular fat of steers at 308 d of age, measured by ultrasound, quadratically increased (P <  0.05) with vitamin A level from 4.0±0.26 % to 4.9±0.26 %. Similarly, carcass marbling score in the ribeye quadratically increased (P < 0.05).ConclusionAdministration of vitamin A at birth increased weaning weight and enhanced marbling fat development. Thus, vitamin A administration provides a practical method for increasing marbling and early growth of beef cattle.