Optimal Dietary Fiber Intake to Retain a Greater Ovarian Follicle Reserve for Gilts
Meng Cao,
Yong Zhuo,
Lechan Gong,
Lianchao Tang,
Zipeng Li,
Yang Li,
Min Yang,
Shengyu Xu,
Jian Li,
Lianqiang Che,
Yan Lin,
Bin Feng,
Zhengfeng Fang,
De Wu
Affiliations
Meng Cao
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yong Zhuo
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Lechan Gong
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Lianchao Tang
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Zipeng Li
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yang Li
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Min Yang
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Shengyu Xu
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Jian Li
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Lianqiang Che
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Yan Lin
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Bin Feng
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Zhengfeng Fang
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
De Wu
Key Laboratory for Animal Disease-Resistant Nutrition of the Ministry of Education of China, Animal Nutrition Institute, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, China
Ovarian follicle activation and survival were recently found to be controlled by nutrient sensors AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and apoptosis related markers Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2, yet their expression as regulated by dietary fiber remained uncertain for gilts. To investigate the effects of dietary fiber levels on ovarian follicle development, and the cellular molecular components related to follicle activation and survival of gilts, 76 gilts with similar bodyweight and age were fed four diets, including a corn-soybean meal based control diet, or other three diets to consume 50%, 75%, and 100% more dietary fiber than the control gilts at different experimental phases. Inulin and cellulose (1:4) were added to the corn-soybean meal basal diet to increase dietary fiber content. The growth traits, and the age, bodyweight, and backfat thickness at puberty were not affected by diets. The number of primordial follicles and total follicles per cubic centimeter of ovarian tissue linearly increased with dietary fiber level at day 30 of the experiment and at the 19th day of the 3rd estrous cycle, without negatively affecting the formation of antral follicle with diameter between 1−3 mm or larger than 3 mm. These changes were associated with altered phosphorylation of mTOR, S6, Extracellular regulated protein kinases 1/2 (ERK1/2) and AMPK, and mRNA expression of Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 in ovarian tissues. Collectively, this study demonstrated a beneficial effect of dietary fiber on the ovarian follicle reserve in gilts, which provides a basis for enhancing reproduction in the short- or long-term.
