Project description:Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element for all life forms. Zn supplementation has been used to treat diarrheal disease in children, and in the U.S. swine industry at pharmacological levels to promote growth and fecal consistency, but underlying mechanisms explaining these beneficial effects remain unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that the benefits of pharmacological Zn supplementation were a result of changes in gene expression. For this study, liver RNA from newly weaned pigs fed dietary Zn as Zn oxide for 14 days at either adequate (150 Zn/kg) or pharmacological (2000 mg Zn/kg) levels was evaluated using a 70-mer oligonucleotide microarray. Interrogation of this microarray revealed 658 annotated transcripts (FDR ≤ 0.05) affected by pharmacological Zn supplementation. Relative real-time RT-PCR was used to confirm differential expression of two genes. Results suggest that feeding pharmacological Zn (2000 mg Zn/kg) affects genes involved in reducing oxidative stress and in amino acid metabolism, which are essential for cell detoxification and proper cell function.
Project description:The majority of babies in the US are formula-fed instead of breast fed. There are major differences in the composition of formulas and breast milk and yet little is known about metabolic differences in babies as the result of feeding these very different diets and how that might affect development or disease risk in later life. One concern is that soy-based formulas might have adverse health effects in babies as a result of the presence of low levels of estrogenic phytochemicals genistein and daidzein which are normally present in soy beans. In the current study, we used a piglet model to look at this question. Piglets were either fed breast milk from the sow or were fed two different infant formulas (cow's milk-based or soy-based) from age 2 days to 21 days when pigs are normally weaned onto solid food. Blood glucose and lipids were measured. Formula-fed pigs were found to have lower cholesterol than breast fed piglets and in addition had larger stores of iron in their liver.Microarray analysis was carried out to see if changes in liver gene expression could explain these effects of formula feeding. It was found that overall gene expression profiles were influenced by formula feeding compared to breast fed neonates. Gender-independent and unique effects of formula influenced cholesterol and iron metabolism. Further, soy formula feeding in comparison to milk-based formula failed to reveal any estrogenic actions on hepatic gene expression in either male or female pigs. Piglets (female, male) were either fed breast milk from the sow or were fed two different infant formulas (cow's milk-based or soy-based) from age 2 days to 21 days when pigs are normally weaned onto solid food.
Project description:Hepatic gene expression analysis in mice fed control diet or diets supplemented with 1% Fraction 1 (haxane) or Fraction 2 (methanol) of Boswellia Serrata Keywords: other
Project description:Conventionally raised and germ-free newly weaned male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a basal diet or a diet supplemented with digestion resistant carbohydrates in the form of inulin, resistant starch or konjac flour. Gene expression in colon tissue was measured to characterise interaction between food, microbes and host.
Project description:Zinc (Zn) is an essential trace element for all life forms. Zn supplementation has been used to treat diarrheal disease in children, and in the U.S. swine industry at pharmacological levels to promote growth and fecal consistency, but underlying mechanisms explaining these beneficial effects remain unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that the benefits of pharmacological Zn supplementation were a result of changes in gene expression. For this study, liver RNA from newly weaned pigs fed dietary Zn as Zn oxide for 14 days at either adequate (150 Zn/kg) or pharmacological (2000 mg Zn/kg) levels was evaluated using a 70-mer oligonucleotide microarray. Interrogation of this microarray revealed 658 annotated transcripts (FDR ≤ 0.05) affected by pharmacological Zn supplementation. Relative real-time RT-PCR was used to confirm differential expression of two genes. Results suggest that feeding pharmacological Zn (2000 mg Zn/kg) affects genes involved in reducing oxidative stress and in amino acid metabolism, which are essential for cell detoxification and proper cell function. Oligonucleotide microarrays used for this study consisted of 13,297 70-mer oligos (Pig Array-Ready Oligo Set v. 1.0 and Pig Oligo Extension Set v. 1.0, Qiagen, Inc., Valencia, CA) each spotted once on a single slide. Slides were printed at the Michigan State University Research Technology Support Facility. Oligonucleotides spotted in multiple locations for use as potential controls included 76 Arabidopsis thaliana gene spots, 17 beta tubulin spots, 17 glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase spots, 85 heat shock protein gene spots, 69 ribosomal protein gene spots, 112 randomly generated negative control spots and 470 blanks. The microarray was screened with the Zn150 and Zn2000 samples, and four microarray slides were screened. Zn150 samples were randomly paired with Zn2000 samples. Two samples from each treatment were labeled with Cy3 and the other two were labeled with Cy5.
Project description:Hepatic gene expression analysis in mice fed control diet or diets supplemented with 1% Fraction 1 (haxane) or Fraction 2 (methanol) of Boswellia Serrata.
Project description:The aim of this study was to investigate whether long term intake of pea fiber would improve colonic barrier, bacterial profile and alter colonic gene expression using DNA microarray. Fifty weaned pigs were randomly allocated into 2 groups receiving control and fibrous diet with inclusion of pea fiber from weaning age until d 160. The two diets had similar nutrient levels. Pigs fed pea fiber diet (PF diet) had markedly decreased overall average daily feed intake (ADFI) and Feed:Gain in growing and finishing period (P<0.05). In addition, long term intake of PF diet induced deeper crypt (+50 %, P<0.05), increased protein expression of colonic mucin and sIgA (+13~16 %, P<0.05). Resulting from the increased lactobacillus content (P<0.05), moreover, pigs fed PF diet had significantly higher concentration of colonic total short chain fatty acid (SCFA) and acetic acid. DNA microarray results indicated that feeding PF diet induced alterations in the expression of colonic cancer, immune response and lipid metabolism-related genes, as well as genes involved in signal pathway such as intestinal immune network for IgA production, PPAR signaling pathway and nutrient metabolism-related pathways. Collectively, our results suggested that long term intake of PF diet would improve colonic health via altering colonic bacteria profile, colonic barriers, immune and metabolism related protein or gene expressions. A total of 50 weaned pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire, initial body weight: 7.2±0.5 kg) were randomly allocated to 2 groups with 5 pens each group and 5 pig each pen. Pigs were fed control (Control) and fibrous diets (10~20 % inclusion of pea fiber, PF) from weaning at 28 day to 160 day-old-age, which is subjected to phase feeding by weaning diet (weaning to d 30 post-weaning), growing diet (d 30~90 postweaning) and finishing diet (d 90~160 postweaning) according to their physiological stage. At d 160 postweaning, four pigs each group were selected to be slaughtered for collection of colonic tissues and DNA microarray was applied to the colonic tissues for analysis of gene expression.
Project description:The majority of babies in the US are formula-fed instead of breast fed. There are major differences in the composition of formulas and breast milk and yet little is known about metabolic differences in babies as the result of feeding these very different diets and how that might affect development or disease risk in later life. One concern is that soy-based formulas might have adverse health effects in babies as a result of the presence of low levels of estrogenic phytochemicals – genistein and daidzein which are normally present in soy beans. In the current study, we used a piglet model to look at this question. Piglets were either fed breast milk from the sow or were fed two different infant formulas (cow’s milk-based or soy-based) from age 2 days to 21 days when pigs are normally weaned onto solid food. Blood glucose and lipids were measured. Formula-fed pigs were found to have lower cholesterol than breast fed piglets and in addition had larger stores of iron in their liver.Microarray analysis was carried out to see if changes in liver gene expression could explain these effects of formula feeding. It was found that overall gene expression profiles were influenced by formula feeding compared to breast fed neonates. Gender-independent and unique effects of formula influenced cholesterol and iron metabolism. Further, soy formula feeding in comparison to milk-based formula failed to reveal any estrogenic actions on hepatic gene expression in either male or female pigs.
Project description:Conventionally raised and germ-free newly weaned male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a basal diet or a diet supplemented with digestion resistant carbohydrates in the form of inulin, resistant starch or konjac flour. Gene expression in colon tissue was measured to characterise interaction between food, microbes and host. 2 colour microarray, reference design. Biological replicates: 6 for all groups except for conventionally raised rats fed inulin, which consisted of 5 biological replicates