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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Nutrition, Growth and Physiology » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #333289
Title: Effect of abomasal butyrate infusion on gene expression in the duodenum of lambs

Author
item Foote, Andrew
item Zarek, Christina
item Kuehn, Larry
item CUNNINGHAM, HANNAH - University Of Wyoming
item CAMMACK, KRISTI - University Of Wyoming
item Freetly, Harvey
item Lindholm-Perry, Amanda

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/24/2017
Publication Date: 3/1/2017
Citation: Foote, A.P., Zarek, C.M., Kuehn, L.A., Cunningham, H.C., Cammack, K.M., Freetly, H.C., Lindholm-Perry, A.K. 2017. Effect of abomasal butyrate infusion on gene expression in the duodenum of lambs. Journal of Animal Science. 95(3):1191-1196. https://doi.org/10.2527/jas2016.1022.

Interpretive Summary: Butyrate is a natural compound present at low concentrations in the small intestine of ruminants such as lambs and cattle. Supplemental butyrate supplied to the small intestine has previously been shown to improve growth and nutrient utilization. A previous study with lambs showed that an infusion of butyrate into the abomasum increased the uptake of glucose, glutamine, glutamate, and oxygen by the portal-drained viscera, which indicated a potential up-regulation of glycolysis and possibly tissue growth. This experiment was conducted to determine if the changes in nutrient utilization by the portal-drained viscera by the butyrate treatment was associated with changes in gene expression in the duodenum. Using microarray, it was determined that 230 genes were differentially expressed. Pathway analysis of the genes differentially expressed revealed that fatty acid activation/biosynthesis, UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine biosynthesis, gamma-Linolenate biosynthesis, and mitochondrial L-carnitine shuttle pathways up-regulated by the butyrate treatment. These data support the hypothesis that the increased nutrient uptake by the portal-drained viscera was partially due to an increase in expression of genes related to glycolysis.

Technical Abstract: A previous study infusing butyrate into the abomasum of sheep produced increased oxygen, glucose, glutamate, and glutamine uptake by the portal-drained viscera. These changes were thought to be partially due to increases in glycolysis and cell proliferation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the duodenum transcriptome of control and butyrate-treated lambs to determine whether genes involved in these pathways were altered. Polled Dorset lambs (n = 9) received a pulse dose of either butyrate (10 mg/kg BW) or an equal volume of a buffered saline solution (1 mL/kg BW) daily at the time of feeding. Lambs were euthanized approximately 4 h after treatment/feeding on d 21, and a sample of duodenal mucosa was obtained from which total RNA was isolated for microarray analysis. A total of 230 genes were differentially expressed (P < 0.05). Pathway analyses performed with the differentially expressed genes revealed glycolysis, fatty acid activation/biosynthesis, UDP-N-acetyl-D-galactosamine biosynthesis, gamma-Linolenate biosynthesis, and mitochondrial L-carnitine shuttle pathways up-regulated by the butyrate treatment. Additionally, expression of functional gene clusters related to mitochondrial function was found to be enriched (P < 0.05) with the butyrate treatment. These data could partially explain the metabolite flux changes that were observed with the butyrate treatment; specifically the increase in glucose uptake and glycolysis pathway upregulation and the increased oxygen uptake and upregulation of mitochondria function-related genes.