Abstract
Simple SummaryGrape pomace (GPO) is an important source of polyphenols which are known to have antioxidant properties. In the past decade, GPO has received some attention as a bioactive dietary component in farm animals’ diet. In this study, we have analyzed the whole-transcriptome of Friesian calves fed with a GPO-supplemented diet using RNA-sequencing. We noted that the most affected pathway was the cholesterol lipid biosynthesis and this effect was consistent with a reduction in both serum cholesterol and lipid oxidation in the carcasses. This study provides evidence on the antioxidant property of GPO-supplemented diet, from a molecular biology standpoint.Grape pomace (GPO), the main by-product of the wine making process, is a rich source of polyphenols with potent antioxidant properties. Recently, GPO has emerged as a potential feed additive in livestock nutrition, with several reports describing its beneficial effects on animals’ overall health status or production traits. However, little is known about it from a molecular biology standpoint. In the present study, we report the first RNA sequencing-based whole-transcriptome profiling of Friesian calves fed with a GPO-supplemented diet. We identified 367 differentially expressed genes (p < 0.05) in the GPO-supplemented calves (n = 5), when compared with unsupplemented control group (n = 5). The pathway analysis showed that ‘cholesterol lipid biosynthesis’ was the most negatively-enriched (p < 0.001) pathway in the GPO-supplemented animals. In specific terms, five important genes coding for cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes, namely the Farnesyl-diphosphate Farnesyltransferase 1 (FDFT-1), Squalene Epoxidase (SQLE), NAD(P)-dependent Steroid Dehydrogenase-like (NSDHL), Methylsterol Monooxygenase (MSMO)-1, and Sterol-C5-desaturase (SC5D), two major transcription factors (the Sterol Regulatory Element-binding Transcription Factor 1 and 2), as well as the Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor (LDLR), were all downregulated following GPO supplementation. Such an effect was mirrored by a reduction of blood cholesterol levels (p = 0.07) and a lowered (p < 0.001) Malondialdehyde (lipid oxidation marker) level in carcasses. We provide evidence on the effects of GPO-supplemented diets on the whole-transcriptome signature in veal calves, which mainly reflects an antioxidant activity.
Highlights
The inclusion of mineral elements or some agro-industrial by-products in animals’ diet is becoming a desirable practice in livestock production due to its beneficial effects on animals’ production and overall health [1,2]
The complete blood cell count and plasma were measured to variations were recorded throughout themajor trial, and onlybiochemical the numberparameters of total white blood cells was check the health of the animals fed with the Grape pomace (GPO)-supplemented slightlyfor increased
Gene expression from this tissue reflects physiological and pathological events occurring in different tissues [25,26] the major finding of the present study was that a 10% dietary level of GPO can modulate the expression of considerable number of genes in calves and leave a transcriptomic signature that mainly reflects an antioxidant profile
Summary
The inclusion of mineral elements or some agro-industrial by-products in animals’ diet is becoming a desirable practice in livestock production due to its beneficial effects on animals’ production and overall health [1,2]. Grape pomace (GPO) is the solid by-product of the winemaking process and, when left unused, represents an important environmental disposal issue. For this reason, as well as for its possible nutritive values, GPO has been proposed as a diet supplement in farm animals and humans [3,4]. In broilers where the meat is rich in polyunsaturated fatty acid, a GPO-supplemented diet improved meat quality delaying lipid oxidation and reducing the potential risk of secondary product formation [5]. Lower amounts of GPO showed a less negative effect on apparent digestibility together with a prevention of milk fatty acids oxidation in dairy cows [9]. The milk from dairy cows fed with a GPO-supplemented diet had an increased β-lactoglobulin protein fraction [10], that is believed to be associated with several biological activities including an immunomodulatory and hypocholesterolemic effects [11]
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