Feeding prepubescent gilts a high-fat diet induces molecular changes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis and predicts early timing of puberty

Abstract Objective The onset of puberty in females has been occurring earlier over the past decades, presumably as a result of improved nutrition in developed countries. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the early attainment of puberty as a result of nutrition fortificatio...

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Published in:Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2014-07, Vol.30 (7), p.890-896
Main Authors: Zhuo, Yong, Ph.D, Zhou, Dongsheng, Ph.D, Che, Lianqiang, Ph.D, Fang, Zhengfeng, Ph.D, Lin, Yan, Ph.D, Wu, De, Ph.D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adipose Tissue - metabolism
Age
Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Cattle
Diet
Diet, High-Fat
Dietary Fats - administration & dosage
Dietary Fats - pharmacology
Experiments
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Gene expression
Gene expressions
Gilts
High-fat diet
Hogs
Hormone
Hormones - genetics
Hormones - metabolism
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - drug effects
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - metabolism
Insulin-like growth factors
Nutrition research
Organ Size - drug effects
Ovary - drug effects
Ovary - metabolism
Proteins
Puberty
Puberty - drug effects
Puberty - genetics
Puberty - metabolism
RNA, Messenger - metabolism
Rodents
Sexual Maturation - drug effects
Sexual Maturation - genetics
Swine
Uterus - drug effects
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
Weight Gain - drug effects
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Summary:Abstract Objective The onset of puberty in females has been occurring earlier over the past decades, presumably as a result of improved nutrition in developed countries. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for the early attainment of puberty as a result of nutrition fortification remain largely unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hormone and gene expression changes in prepubescent gilts fed a high-fat diet to investigate whether these changes could predict the early timing of puberty. Methods Forty gilts were fed a daily basal diet (LE) or a basal diet with an additional 270 g/d or 340 g/d of fat (HE) during the prepubescent phase. Blood samples were collected during the prepubescent phase to detect hormone secretion changes in insulin-like growth factor-1, kisspeptin, estradiol, progesterone, and leptin. The gene expressions at the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal axis were examined on day 73 of the experiment (average age on day 177) during the prepubescent phase. Results An HE diet resulted in accelerated body weight gain and back-fat thickness at the P2 point compared with LE gilts during the prepubescent phase. Gilts that were fed HE diets attained puberty 12 d earlier than LE gilts, and a larger proportion of HE gilts reached puberty at day 180 or 190 of age. A postmortem analysis revealed a promoted development of the uterus and ovary tissue that was characterized by a 53.7% and 29.5% increase in the uterine and ovary weight, respectively, and an increased length of the uterine horn and oviduct tissue in HE gilts. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that HE gilts had higher Kiss-1 , G protein-coupled receptor 54, gonadotropin-releasing hormone and estrogen receptor α mRNA expression levels in the hypothalamic anteroventral periventricular nucleus; the leptin receptor mRNA expression level was higher in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus and ovary tissue; the insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor expression was higher in the pituitary and ovary tissues, and the follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone mRNA expression levels were higher in the pituitary gland. Conclusion These data showed that the consumption of additional fat can facilitate early attainment of puberty, which can be predicted by the changes in secreted hormones and gene expression in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis.
ISSN:0899-9007
1873-1244
DOI:10.1016/j.nut.2013.12.019