PSXIII-33 Polyunsaturated fatty acid and their fetal programming effect on the FFARs from ewe lambs’ ovaries

Abstract

Abstract Free fatty acids (FA) receptors (FFAR) are critical for metabolic functions and energy homeostasis. The FFAR1 and FFAR4 are activated by long-chain polyunsaturated FA, but FFAR2 and FFAR3 join to short-chain FA. There is no evidence fetal programming on nutritional effects on those receptors, insulin receptor (INS-R) and stereological enzyme in lambs’ ovaries. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) supplementation to ewes during late gestation on finishing lamb ovary gene expression. Lambs born from ewes supplemented with Ca salts of EPA and DHA (PUFA), or palm FA distillate (PFAD) high in palmitic and oleic acid at 0.39% DM during the last 50d of gestation were used. After weaning and high concentrate diet adaptation (45d), 14 Hampshire x Dorset cross females lambs were blocked by initial BW and used in a 2x2 factorial arrangement of treatments using the factors of dam supplementation and lamb diets (PUFA or PFAD at 1.5% DM). At day 42, lambs were euthanized and ovary samples were obtained for FFARs, INS-R and steroid acute regulatory protein (STAR) mRNA concentration analysis. There was a dam diet effect on the abundance of FFAR4 mRNA (P = 0.05); lambs born from PUFA dams showed greater concentration than PFAD. Also, PUFA lambs tend to have greater concentration of FFAR4 (P = 0.07). The abundance of FFAR2, INS-R, and STAR mRNA was not significant for dam or lamb diet effect (P > 0.1). The mRNA of FFAR1 and FFAR3 were no found in the samples. However, mRNA concentration of FFAR2 and STAR were positively associated (r = 0.74 P < 0.05). In conclusion, dam and lamb diets modified FFAR4 mRNA concentration; and there might be a functional association between FFAR2 and STAR.