Serum levels of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1, leptin, and lipids during late pregnancy and the early postpartum period in mares.
Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the changes of serum mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and leptin levels as well as of lipid and lipoprotein profiles in mares during the peripartum period. Ten pregnant mares (group A) were monitored from 15 ± 3 days of pregnancy until 15 days after foaling, and 10 nonpregnant nonlactating mares constituted the control (group B). In group A, blood sampling was performed on Days 15 ± 3 and 7 ± 3 before foaling, on the day of foaling, and on Days 7 and 15 after foaling. In group B, blood sampling was performed on the same days as in group A. Serum levels were determined for UCP1, leptin, total lipids, phospholipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol (Total-Chol), high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was applied to evaluate the effects of peripartum period and group membership. All studied parameters except phospholipid levels (P > 0.05) showed significant changes in group A over the peripartum period (P < 0.0001). A significant effect of pregnancy was found on all studied parameters (P < 0.001), which showed lower levels in group A than in group B for most of the time points considered. Significant negative correlations were found between UCP1 and total lipids, triglycerides, VLDLs, Total-Chol, and LDL values. Positive correlations were found between leptin and total lipids, triglycerides, VLDLs, Total-Chol, and LDLs. These changes observed in mares during the peripartum period could represent a response to hormonal and metabolic adaptations occurring during specific physiological conditions such as late pregnancy and early postpartum. These changes should compensate for the energy loss occurring during these particular life phases and ensure a good body condition to protect mares against negative energy balance.
Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2016-04-13 PubMed ID: 27165993DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.005Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The study investigates how the levels of certain proteins and lipids in a mare’s blood serum change during late pregnancy and the early post-birth phase. These substances include mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), leptin, total lipids, phospholipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, and very low-density lipoproteins.
Research Study Details
- The research was conducted on two groups of mares – Group A consisted of 10 pregnant mares monitored from 15 days of pregnancy until 15 days after foaling, while Group B was the control group, comprising of 10 non-pregnant, non-lactating mares.
- In both groups, blood sampling was conducted at defined intervals before foaling, the day of foaling, and post foaling. Several components were measured in the blood sample, including levels of UCP1, leptin, various lipids, and lipoproteins.
- The statistical method of Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze the blood samples and observe the changes over the peripartum period.
Results and Findings
- Except for phospholipid levels, all the parameters studied showed significant changes in Group A over the peripartum period, indicating that pregnancy and the early postpartum period bring specific metabolic changes.
- Parametrically, the pregnant mares generally demonstrated lower substance levels than the control group mares.
- The levels of UCP1 negatively correlated with total lipids, triglycerides, VLDLs, total cholesterol, and LDL values while leptin levels showed a positive correlation with the same substances.
Implications and Conclusions
- The findings of this study suggest that the changes observed in the mares during the peripartum period could indicate bodily responses to hormonal and metabolic adaptations happening during late pregnancy and early postpartum.
- These adaptations likely serve to compensate for any energy loss occurring during these phases, thus ensuring a good body condition that can protect the mares from a negative energy balance.
Cite This Article
APA
Arfuso F, Giannetto C, Rizzo M, Fazio F, Giudice E, Piccione G.
(2016).
Serum levels of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1, leptin, and lipids during late pregnancy and the early postpartum period in mares.
Theriogenology, 86(5), 1156-1164.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.04.005 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo universitario dell'Annunziata, Messina, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo universitario dell'Annunziata, Messina, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo universitario dell'Annunziata, Messina, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo universitario dell'Annunziata, Messina, Italy.
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, S. Agata-Messina, Italy.
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo universitario dell'Annunziata, Messina, Italy. Electronic address: giuseppe.piccione@unime.it.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Case-Control Studies
- Female
- Horses / blood
- Lactation
- Leptin / blood
- Lipids / blood
- Postpartum Period / blood
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy, Animal / blood
- Uncoupling Protein 1 / blood
Citations
This article has been cited 6 times.- Wang X, Shao Y, Zhou X, Li Z, Liu J, Tang M, Yang Y, Deng L. Dynamic Changes in the Gut Microbiota During Peripartum in Jennies. Animals (Basel) 2025 May 6;15(9).
- Perera TRW, Bromfield EG, Gibb Z, Nixon B, Sheridan AR, Rupasinghe T, Skerrett-Byrne DA, Swegen A. Plasma Lipidomics Reveals Lipid Signatures of Early Pregnancy in Mares. Int J Mol Sci 2024 Oct 15;25(20).
- Inoue S. Influence of broodmare aging on its offspring's racing performance. PLoS One 2022;17(7):e0271535.
- Segabinazzi LGTM, Roberts BN, Peterson EW, Ambrosia R, Bergfelt D, Samper J, French H, Gilbert RO. Early Pregnancy in Jennies in the Caribbean: Corpus Luteum Development and Progesterone Production, Uterine and Embryo Dynamics, Conceptus Growth and Maturation. Animals (Basel) 2022 Jan 6;12(2).
- Arfuso F, Giannetto C, Bazzano M, Assenza A, Piccione G. Physiological Correlation between Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis, Leptin, UCP1 and Lipid Panel in Mares during Late Pregnancy and Early Postpartum Period. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 9;11(7).
- Arfuso F, Giannetto C, Panzera MF, Fazio F, Piccione G. Uncoupling Protein-1 (UCP1) in the Adult Horse: Correlations with Body Weight, Rectal Temperature and Lipid Profile. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jun 20;11(6).
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