Effects of dietary n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio on fatty acid composition, free amino acid profile and gene expression of transporters in finishing pigs.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Animal research (non-human experimental model)
PubMed 25704496 · doi:10.1017/S0007114514004346
What was done
Ninety-six finishing pigs were allocated to four experimental diets differing in their n-6 to n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratios: 1:1, 2.5:1, 5:1, and 10:1. Researchers assessed daily weight gain, loin muscle area, tissue fatty acid and free amino acid concentrations in the longissimus dorsi and subcutaneous adipose tissue, as well as mRNA expression of fatty acid transporters (FATP-1, FATP-4) and amino acid transceptors (LAT1, SNAT2).
What was found
Pigs receiving the 5:1 ratio had the highest daily weight gain (P < 0.05), whereas those fed the 1:1 ratio had the largest loin muscle area (P < 0.01). Muscle and subcutaneous adipose n-3 PUFA concentrations increased as the dietary ratio decreased (P < 0.05). Muscle concentrations of tryptophan, tasty amino acids, and branched-chain amino acids increased in pigs fed ratios of 1:1 to 5:1. Longissimus dorsi FATP-1 mRNA declined (P < 0.05) with 1:1 to 5:1 ratios, while adipose FATP-1 and FATP-4 mRNA increased (P < 0.05) at 5:1 and 10:1. Muscle LAT1 and SNAT2 mRNA expression was upregulated (P < 0.05) at 1:1 and 2.5:1 ratios. Exact numerical values and baseline parameters were not reported in the abstract.
Why it matters
Modulating dietary n-6 to n-3 PUFA ratios can alter muscle amino acid profiles and regulate fatty acid and amino acid transporter expression in livestock.
Limits
This is an animal study in finishing pigs with uncertain direct translation to human nutrition. The abstract does not report numerical effect sizes, variance, trial duration, or protein-level expression of the measured transporters.
Cited by
- supports A study in pigs found that omega-3 fatty acids altered the gene expression of the amino acid transporter LAT1 in skeletal muscle.