MicroRNAs as Biomarkers for Animal Health and Welfare in Livestock.

Silvia Miretti,Mario Baratta,Cristina Lecchi,Fabrizio Ceciliani

doi:10.3389/fvets.2020.578193

Silvia Miretti, Mario Baratta + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.578193

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Abstract

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and highly conserved non-coding RNA molecules that orchestrate a wide range of biological processes through the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. An intriguing aspect in identifying these molecules as biomarkers is derived from their role in cell-to-cell communication, their active secretion from cells into the extracellular environment, their high stability in body fluids, and their ease of collection. All these features confer on miRNAs the potential to become a non-invasive tool to score animal welfare. There is growing interest in the importance of miRNAs as biomarkers for assessing the welfare of livestock during metabolic, environmental, and management stress, particularly in ruminants, pigs, and poultry. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the potential use of tissue and/or circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for the assessment of the health and welfare status in these livestock species.

Highlights

Systemic metabolic perturbation resulting from chronic stress has been investigated using metabolomics, and has led to the identification of parameters directly associated with management and housing conditions and regulated by the hypothalamic–pituitary– adrenal axis (HPA) [13, 14]
For consumer perception and product acceptance, as well as for the livestock industry, enhancing animal health and welfare are pivotal for improving the quality of food products
The studies carried out to date have largely focused on stress or resiliency biomarkers, and many of these have focused on miRNAs that can provide information on the regulation of different processes across the tissue–biofluid channel

Summary

Introduction

Keeping farm animals clinically healthy, without disease or distress, is fundamental for the production of safe and high-quality food. This topic is highly relevant both for governments and for food industries worldwide. The Welfare Quality protocol introduced the use of animal-based measures that are focused on animal needs and include the evaluation of appropriate (valid, reliable, and viable) indicators that allow the assessment of the physical and mental welfare of animals [1]. Physiological measures, including blood parameters [9,10,11] and behavior, allow the assessment of animal welfare in vivo [12]. Other studies have aimed to identify hormones and other molecules that are quantified at levels out of a “physiological range” [15,16,17]

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