Effects of the Monoclonal Antibody against Porcine 40 kDa Adipocyte-specific Plasma Membrane Protein on Adipocytes and Carcass Composition

Abstract

The effects of the mouse monoclonal antibody against 40 kDa adipocyte-specific plasma membrane protein on porcine adipocytes and carcass composition were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Results revealed that the in vitro complement-mediated cytotoxicity of this monoclonal antibody can lead to adipocyte lysis, remarkable reduction of adipocyte lipid accumulation (P<0.01), and significant decrease of well-differentiated fat cells (P<0.01). Treatment of adipocytes with this antibody alone in vitro did not induce cell lysis, but could lead to noticeable reduction of well-differentiated cells and lipid accumulation (P<0.05) at the pre-adipocyte stage. In vivo, pigs injected with 0.5 mg/kg or 1.0 mg/kg of antibody showed smaller adipocyte sizes (P<0.01) and reduced lipid accumulation of adipocytes (P<0.01). Our results also indicated that pigs intraperitoneally or subcutaneously immunized with 0.5 mg/kg of monoclonal antibody at 15 kg or 1.0 mg/kg antibody at 60 kg had a higher lean meat percentage (P<0.05), larger loin eye area (P<0.05), lower fat meat percentage (P<0.05), less backfat thickness (P<0.05) and smaller leaf fat weight (P<0.05) than the control pigs, but other carcass traits such as caul fat weight, heart weight, liver weight, spleen weight, kidney weight, lung weight, and dressing percentage were not significantly affected. These results suggested that this monoclonal antibody could be applied to restrain excessive fat deposition in porcine production.