Effect of selenium intake and fetal age on mRNA levels of two selenoproteins in porcine fetal and maternal liver.

The objective of this study was to determine if levels of mRNA encoding cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (cGPx) and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR-1) change during fetal development, and if maternal Se intake during gestation affects the mRNA levels of these proteins. Prepubertal gilts (n = 24) were randomly assigned to either Se-adequate (0.39 ppm of Se; n = 12) or Se-deficient (0.05 ppm of Se; n = 12) diets, 6 wk before breeding. Maternal liver was collected at d 10, 45, 70, and 114 of pregnancy, and fetal liver samples were collected at the same times except d 10. Complementary DNA sequences encoding cGPx and TrxR-1 were cloned and sequenced. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated that levels of mRNA for cGPx in fetal liver decreased more than 3-fold between d 45 and 114 of gestation. Although the gilts were only marginally deficient in Se, and maternal Se intake did not affect cGPx mRNA levels in fetal liver, the low-Se diet tended (P = 0.1) to reduce fetal TrxR-1 mRNA levels. In the liver of the dams, the low Se intake did not affect mRNA levels for either cGPx or TrxR-1. Compared with the liver of the dams, mRNA levels for cGPx were about 3.5 times lower in fetal liver. Results of this study support the hypothesis that neonatal pigs are born with reduced cGPx corresponding to reduced cGPx mRNA levels during late gestation.

Maternal selenium deficiency increases hydrogen peroxide and total lipid peroxides in porcine fetal liver.

To investigate the role of selenium (Se) in the developing porcine fetus, prepubertal gilts (n = 42) were randomly assigned to either Se-adequate (0.39 ppm Se) or Se-deficient (0.05 ppm Se) gestation diets 6 wk prior to breeding. Maternal and fetal liver was collected at d 30, 45, 70, 90, and 114 of pregnancy. Concentrations of Se in maternal liver decreased during gestation in gilts fed the low-Se diet. The activity of cellular glutathione peroxidase (GPx) was decreased at d 30 and 45 of gestation in liver of gilts fed the low-Se diet. Concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) were greater in liver homogenates from gilts fed the low-Se diet. Within the fetuses, liver Se decreased in those fetuses of gilts fed the low-Se diet. Although the activity of GPx in fetal liver was not affected by the maternal diet, concentrations of H2O2 and MDA in fetal liver were greater in fetuses from gilts fed the low-Se diet. Maternal liver GPx activity was approx 12-fold greater than fetal liver GPx activity regardless of dietary treatment. These results indicate that maternal dietary Se intake affects fetal liver Se concentration and feeding a low-Se diet during gestation increases oxidative stress to the fetus, as measured by fetal liver H2O2 and MDA.

Gestational changes in concentrations of selenium and zinc in the porcine fetus and the effects of maternal intake of selenium.

The effect of maternal dietary selenium (Se) and gestation on the concentrations of Se and zinc (Zn) in the porcine fetus were determined. Mature gilts were randomly assigned to treatments of either adequate (0.39 ppm Se) or low (0.05 ppm Se) dietary Se. Gilts were bred and fetuses were collected throughout gestation. Concentrations of Se in maternal whole blood and liver decreased during gestation in sows fed the low-Se diet compared to sows fed the Se-supplemented diet. Maternal intake of Se did not affect the concentration of Se in the whole fetus; however, the concentration of Se in fetal liver was decreased in fetuses of sows fed the low-Se diet. Although fetal liver Se decreased in both treatments as gestation progressed, the decrease was greater in liver of fetuses from sows fed the low- Se diet. Dietary Se did not affect concentrations of Zn in maternal whole blood or liver or in the whole fetus and fetal liver. The concentration of Se in fetal liver was lower but the concentration of Zn was greater than in maternal liver when sows were fed the adequate Se diet. These results indicate that maternal intake of Se affects fetal liver Se and newborn piglets have lower liver Se concentrations compared to their dams, regardless of the Se intake of sows during gestation. Thus, the piglet is more susceptible Se deficiency than the sow.

Exogenous oxytocin decreases interestrous interval of cyclic gilts.

Oxytocin (OT) stimulates pulsatile secretion of uterine PGF2 alpha in ruminants, but the role of OT in regulation of the estrous cycle of pigs is not clear. four experiments were performed to examine the effect of exogenous OT on interestrous interval of intact cyclic and hysterectomized gilts. In Exp. 1, i.v. injections of 20 USP units (equivalent to 20 IU) of OT, once/day via an ear vein on d 10, 12, 14, and 16 after estrus, decreased (P < .01) interestrous interval (19.9 +/- .2 d) compared with vehicle-injected control gilts (20.8 +/- .2 d), without affecting ovulation rate (12.1 vs. 12.0 +/- .7 corpora lutea; OT vs control gilts) at subsequent estrus. In Exp. 2, i.v. infusions of 20 USP units of OT, twice/day via an indwelling jugular catheter on d 10 to 16 after estrus, did not alter interestrous interval (20.6 +/- .3 d) compared with control gilts (20.4 +/- .3 d). Concentrations of progesterone in jugular vein plasma did not differ between treatment groups on d 9 to 21 after estrus. In Exp. 3, i.m. injections of 20 USP units of OT, twice/day on d 10 to 16 after estrus, decreased (P < .05) interestrous interval (20.6 +/- .4 d) compared with control gilts (22.3 +/- .4 d). In Exp. 4, i.m. injections of 20 USP units of OT, twice/day on d 10 to 16 after estrus, decreased (P < .05) interestrous interval (20.7 +/- .3 d) compared with control injections in uterine-intact gilts (21.8 +/- .3 d). None of the gilts hysterectomized on d 7 and treated on d 10 to 16 after estrus with either OT or control injections returned to estrus by d 28, and all had increased plasma progesterone on d 21 to 27. Mean weight of individual corpora lutea (502 vs 449 +/- 28 mg; OT vs control gilts) and total weight of corpora lutea (5,758 vs. 5,126 +/- 298 mg; OT vs control gilts) of hysterectomized gilts did not differ between treatment groups at ovariectomy on d 28. These results indicate that 1) exogenous OT administered on d 10 to 16 shortened the interestrous interval of intact cyclic gilts and 2) the effect of OT was uterine-dependent.

Detection of functional oxytocin receptors on endometrium of pigs.

Oxytocin (OT) stimulates phosphoinositide (PI) hydrolysis and prostaglandin (PG) F2 alpha secretion from the endometrium of cyclic pigs, but the presence of specific endometrial receptors for OT has not been demonstrated in this species. Two experiments were performed to detect the presence of functional OT receptors on endometrium collected 15 days post estrus from cyclic gilts. OT receptor density and Kd were determined by receptor assay and Scatchard analysis. Hydrolysis of PI (i.e., incorporation of [3H]inositol into total inositol phosphates) and PGF2 alpha secretion were studied with use of incubations of endometrial explants. Concentrations of PGF2 alpha were log-transformed for analysis of variance and are expressed as means +/- standard error of log-transformed data. In experiment 1, mean density and mean Kd of OT receptors on endometrium of gilts were 29.2 +/- 5.54 fmol/mg protein and 1.59 +/- 0.23 nM, respectively. OT receptor density was significantly correlated with the ability of 100 nM OT to stimulate PI hydrolysis (r = 0.83, p < 0.05) and PGF2 alpha secretion (r = 0.87, p < 0.10), but was not highly correlated with receptor Kd (r = -0.08, p = 0.85). In contrast, OT receptor Kd was not highly correlated with OT-stimulated PI hydrolysis (r = -0.19, p = 0.68) or OT-stimulated PGF2 alpha secretion (r = 0.14, p = 0.86). OT-stimulated PI hydrolysis was also significantly correlated (r = 0.80, p < 0.05) with OT-stimulated PGF2 alpha secretion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Intrauterine injection of recombinant ovine interferon-tau extends the interestrous interval in sheep.

The ability of recombinant ovine interferon-tau (roIFNtau) to extend the interestrous interval (IEI) in sheep was studied. Ewes were fitted with bilateral uterine catheters 7 or 8 days post estrus and were assigned to receive either 10 or 20 million antiviral (AV) units/day i.u. ( approximately 100 or 200 ug) of roIFNtau or ovine conceptus secretory proteins containing equivalent AV units of native oIFNtau (noIFNtau; 4 ewes/treatment). Four control ewes received ovine serum proteins (SP). Total protein injected was 6 mg per day, half at 0700 hours and half at 1730 hours. The treatments were administered from Day 11.5 (estrus=Day 0) to Day 16. Blood samples were collected by jugular vienipuncture daily from Day 11 until ewes returned to estrus. Concentrations of progesterone (P) in plasma were determined by RIA. Treatment with either noIFNtau or roIFNtau extended IEI beyond that of SP-treated ewes (19.1 vs 31.2+/-3.4 days P<0.03). Of the ewes receiving 100 mug/day of oIFNtau, 2 of 4 receiving noIFNtau (23.6+/-5.2 days) and 3 of 4 receiving roIFNtau (34.2+/-5.2 days) had an extended IEI. All ewes receiving 200 mug/day of noIFNtau or roIFNtau had an extended IEI (28.8 and 38.5+/-5.2 days. respectively). Ewes receiving roIFNtau had a longer IEI than those receiving noIFNtau (36.7 vs 26.2+/-3.4 days; P=0.07). Ewes with an extended IEI had functional corpora lutea, as assessed by P production. The results demonstrate that 10 or 20 million AV units ( approximately 100 or 200 ug) of roIFNtau extends the IEI and that the length of the IEI is longer for ewes receiving roIFNtau than noIFNtau following injection of equivalent AV units.