High energy diet of beef cows during gestation promoted growth performance of calves by improving placental nutrients transport

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of dietary energy level during gestation on growth performance and serum parameters in offspring using beef cattle as research objects. Additionally, the gene expressions associated with nutrients transport in the placenta were evaluated. Eighteen Simmental crossbred cows (body weight = 338.44 ± 16.03 kg and 760 ± 6 days of age) were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatment groups: low energy (LE, metabolic energy = 8.76 MJ/kg), medium (ME, 9.47 MJ/kg) and high (HE, 10.18 MJ/kg). The dietary treatments were introduced from day 45 before expected date of parturition. The pre-experiment lasted for 15 days and formal experiment lasted for 30 days. Growth performance data and blood samples of calves were collected at birth and day 30 post-birth. The placental tissue was collected at parturition. The results indicated that the birth weight and average daily gain of calves in HE group were higher (P < 0.05) than those in LE group. After parturition, the serum contents of glucose, total protein, cortisol and leptin in neonatal calves were significantly increased (P < 0.05) with the elevation of dietary energy levels. At 30 days postpartum, the glucose, glutathione peroxidase, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor 1 and leptin concentrations of HE group were significantly increased (P < 0.05) as compared with LE group, while the serum amyloid protein A displayed an opposite trend between two groups. With the increase of dietary energy concentration, placental mRNA expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor A, glucose transporter 1 and 3 were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the amino acid transporter solute carrier family 38 member 1, hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 2, insulin-like growth factor 1 and 2 mRNA expressions of HE group were higher (P < 0.05) than those of LE and ME groups. In conclusion, the improved growth performance of calves from the high energy ration supplemented beef cows may be attributed to the increased placental nutrients transport, which may lead to the increased nutrient supply to the fetus.

Glucose Regulates Glucose Transport and Metabolism via mTOR Signaling Pathway in Bovine Placental Trophoblast Cells

“…A study on goose liver cells found that glucose can regulate PI3K-Akt-mTOR activation to promote goose liver cell proliferation [38]. Consistent with this result, high dietary energy upregulated the gene expression of transporters in placental tissue [14], indicating that glucose transport in the placenta is affected by glucose concentration [39]. GLUT1 can efficiently transport glucose to the placental trophoblast ectoderm and subsequently to the placental vascular system to provide energy for the fetus in sows [21].…”

“…The glucose transporters (GLUTs) are the main transporters of glucose uptake by the PTC [ 8 , 9 ], and the glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) [ 10 ], glucose transporter 3 (GLUT3) [ 11 , 12 ], and glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) are highly expressed in placental tissue [ 13 ]. Our recent in vivo study showed that the mRNA abundance of GLUT1 and GLUT3 in placental tissue increased with the increase of dietary energy levels during pregnancy and was positively correlated with the birth weight and serum glucose concentration in newborn calves [ 14 ]. The primary glucose transporters in the placenta consist of GLUT1 and GLUT3, both of which regulate the transportation of glucose from the maternal to the fetal circulation [ 15 , 16 ].…”