HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 288/6/R1536    most recent 00423.2004v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Web of Science (9) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Mostyn, A. Articles by Clarke, L. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Mostyn, A. Articles by Clarke, L.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Fetal Physiological Programming

Influence of size at birth on the endocrine profiles and expression of uncoupling proteins in subcutaneous adipose tissue, lung, and muscle of neonatal pigs

¹Centre for Reproduction and Early Life, Institute of Clinical Research, University Hospital, Nottingham; and ²Department of Agricultural Sciences, Imperial College London, Wye Campus, Ashford, Kent

Submitted 24 June 2004 ; accepted in final form 28 February 2005

Epidemiological studies suggest that infants of low birth weight show poor neonatal growth and increased susceptibility to adult diseases such as diabetes and lung disease. Uncoupling protein 2 and 3 (UCP2 and UCP3) have been implicated in the development of such diseases; pigs provide an ideal model to examine the influence of birth weight due to the natural variance in piglet weight within a litter. This study examined whether birth weight influences the expression of UCP2 and UCP3 in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and lung. Piglets from 11 litters were ranked according to birth weight and three from each litter assigned to small (SFD), normal (NFD), or large for dates (LFD) groups. Blood samples and morphometric measurements were taken over the first 14 days of life, and tissue samples were taken on day 7 or 14. Plasma hormone and metabolite concentrations and the expression of UCP2 and UCP3 mRNA in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and lung were measured. UCP2 and UCP3 expression in adipose tissue was lower in the SFD compared with the LFD group on day 7. UCP3 expression in skeletal muscle was higher than that of adipose tissue. Lung UCP2 and skeletal muscle UCP3 mRNA expression were unaffected by size at birth. Regression analysis indicated that UCP3 expression was differentially associated with IGF-1, leptin, and insulin. In conclusion, low birth weight is associated with tissue-specific effects on UCP expression. It remains to be established whether these subsequently contribute to pathological conditions such as diabetes.

mitochondria; postnatal growth; metabolism

This article has been cited by other articles:

				L. Attig, J. Djiane, A. Gertler, O. Rampin, T. Larcher, S. Boukthir, P. M. Anton, J. Y. Madec, I. Gourdou, and L. Abdennebi-Najar Study of hypothalamic leptin receptor expression in low-birth-weight piglets and effects of leptin supplementation on neonatal growth and development Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab, November 1, 2008; 295(5): E1117 - E1125. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				P. Monaghan Early growth conditions, phenotypic development and environmental change Phil Trans R Soc B, May 12, 2008; 363(1497): 1635 - 1645. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]