Effects of dietary arginine supplementation in pregnant mares on maternal metabolism, placental structure and function and foal growth.
Abstract: Foals born to primiparous mares are lighter and less mature than those born to multiparous dams. Factors driving this difference are not totally understood. Using 7 multiparous and 6 primiparous standardbred mares, we demonstrated that, in late gestation, primiparous mares were less insulin resistant compared to multiparous mares, and that their foals had reduced plasma amino-acid concentrations at birth compared to foals born to multiparous mares. Vascular development, as observed through structure and gene expression, and global DNA methylation were also reduced in primiparous placentas. Another group of 8 primiparous mares was orally supplemented with L-arginine (100 g/day, 210d to term). L-arginine improved pregnancy-induced insulin resistance and increased maternal L-arginine and L-ornithine plasma concentrations but foal plasma amino acid concentrations were not affected at birth. At birth, foal weight and placental biometry, structure, ultra-structure and DNA methylation were not modified. Placental expression of genes involved in glucose and fatty acid transfers was increased. In conclusion, maternal insulin resistance in response to pregnancy and placental function are reduced in primiparous pregnancies. Late-gestation L-arginine supplementation may help primiparous mares to metabolically adapt to pregnancy and improve placental function. More work is needed to confirm these effects and ascertain optimal treatment conditions.
Publication Date: 2019-04-23 PubMed ID: 31015538PubMed Central: PMC6478728DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42941-0Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The study explores the effects of dietary arginine supplementation on pregnant mares and their offspring. It concludes that dietary arginine fortification may help first-time pregnant mares to metabolically adjust to pregnancy and improve placental function, although further research is necessary to confirm these findings and discover the best treatment conditions.
Maternal Metabolism and Foal Growth
- The research was conducted using 7 multiparous and 6 primiparous standardbred mares. A multiparous mare has had more than one foal, while a primiparous mare is pregnant for the first time.
- It was observed that in late gestation, first-time pregnant mares were less insulin resistant compared to mares that had multiple pregnancies. Similarly, their foals had reduced plasma amino-acid concentrations at birth compared to foals born to multiparous mares.
- A distinct difference was found in the foals’ weight. Foals born to first-time mothers are generally lighter and less mature than those born to mares with prior pregnancies.
Placental Structure and Function
- Further in the study, it was noted that the vascular development, as observed through structure and gene expression, and global DNA methylation were also reduced in placentas of first-time pregnant mares.
- The effects of these deficiencies are still not completely understood, prompting further research on the topic.
L-Arginine Supplementation
- An additional group of 8 first-time pregnant mares was orally supplemented with L-arginine (100 g/day, 210d to term) to see how this would affect the pregnancy and baby.
- L-arginine improved pregnancy-induced insulin resistance and increased maternal L-arginine and L-ornithine plasma concentrations. However, foal plasma amino acid concentrations remained unaffected at birth.
Conclusion
- The research concluded that insulin resistance and placental function are reduced in first-time pregnant mares. Additionally, L-arginine supplementation in late gestation might help these mares in their metabolic adaptation to pregnancy while improving placental function.
- However, more research is needed to validate these effects and determine the optimal treatment conditions.
Cite This Article
APA
Robles M, Couturier-Tarrade A, Derisoud E, Geeverding A, Dubois C, Dahirel M, Aioun J, Prezelin A, Calvez J, Richard C, Wimel L, Chavatte-Palmer P.
(2019).
Effects of dietary arginine supplementation in pregnant mares on maternal metabolism, placental structure and function and foal growth.
Sci Rep, 9(1), 6461.
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-42941-0 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- IFCE, Station Expérimentale de la Valade, 19370 Chamberet, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- UMR PNCA, AgroParisTech, INRA, Université Paris Saclay, 75005 Paris, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France.
- IFCE, Station Expérimentale de la Valade, 19370 Chamberet, France.
- UMR BDR, INRA, ENVA, Université Paris Saclay, 78350 Jouy en Josas, France. pascale.chavatte-palmer@inra.fr.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Arginine / pharmacology
- DNA Methylation / drug effects
- Female
- Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
- Horses
- Insulin Resistance / physiology
- Placenta / blood supply
- Placenta / metabolism
- Pregnancy / metabolism
Conflict of Interest Statement
The authors declare no competing interests.
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