China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2021, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (3): 873-881.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2021.03.011

• Physiology and Biochemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Environmental Temperature in Winter and Summer on Physiological Characteristics and Related Gene Expression of Tibetan Pigs

LI Qianwen, YANG Zhen, YANG Yanan, WANG Zhengwen, WEN Yuliang, CAI Yuan, ZHAO Shengguo   

  1. College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
  • Received:2020-12-08 Online:2021-03-20 Published:2021-03-18

Abstract: To better develop and utilize local breed resources,the relevant indexes of Tibetan pigs' low-temperature adaptability was explored in this study and to provide theoretical basis for the study of Tibetan pig germplasm characteristics.20-day-old piglets were randomly selected (4 Tibetan pigs at -16 ℃ in winter and 4 Tibetan pigs at 30 ℃ in summer) in good body condition during lactation in a Tibetan pig farm in Yuzhong county,Gansu,and their body measurements and respiratory rate,back fat thickness,skin thickness,blood physiological,and biochemical indicators were measured.HE staining was used to observe the morphology of adipocytes in the groin,scapula,and back.Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR technology was used to detect the relative expression of heat-related genes in different adipose tissues.The results showed that the respiratory rate of Tibetan pigs in the winter low temperature group was extremely significantly lower than that of the Tibetan pigs in the summer high temperature group (P<0.01).The thickness of back fat and the skin thickness of the neck,back and buttocks were extremely significantly higher than that of the high temperature Tibetan pigs (P<0.01).The number of platelets (PLT),platelet pressure (PCT),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),glucose (GLU),and triglyceride (TG) contents of Tibetan pigs in the low temperature group were significantly higher than those of Tibetan pigs in the high temperature group (P<0.05).Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) were significantly lower than of the high temperature group Tibetan pigs (P<0.05).The HE staining results showed that the size of fat cells in the groin and scapula of the low temperature group was different,and there were multi-cavity lipid droplets.Meanwhile,it was found that the relative expression of UCP3,PGC1α and Dio2 gene in the groin and scapula of the cold group was significantly higher among Tibetan pigs in high temperature group (P<0.05).In conclusion,environmental temperatures had a great influence on the physiological indexes and fat metabolism of Tibetan pigs,and the white fat browning stimulated by low temperature was one of the important factors for Tibetan pigs to resist cold.

Key words: low temperature adaptation; Tibetan pigs; blood physiology and biochemistry; white fat browning; gene expression

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