Vitamin D has been discovered centuries ago, and current studies have focused on the biological effects of vitamin D on adipogenesis. Besides its role in calcium homeostasis and energy metabolism, vitamin D is also involved in the regulation of development and process of metabolic disorders. Adipose tissue is a major storage depot of vitamin D. This review summarized studies on the relationship between vitamin D and adipogenesis and furthermore focuses on adipose metabolic disorders. We reviewed the biological roles and functionalities of vitamin D, the correlation between vitamin D and adipose tissue, the effect of vitamin D on adipogenesis, and adipose metabolic diseases. Vitamin D is associated with adipogenesis, and vitamin D supplements can reduce the burden caused by metabolic diseases. The review provides new insights and basis for medical therapy on adipose metabolic diseases.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influences of Chinese yam polysaccharide (CYP) dietary supplementation on the composition of intramuscular fat (IMF) and fatty acids (FA) in thigh and breast muscles of broilers. Three hundred and sixty healthy one-day-old broilers (the breed of Crossbred chicken is named 817) with gender-balanced and similar body weight (39 ± 1 g) were randomly allocated into four groups (control, CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 groups). Broilers in the control group were only fed a basal diet, and broilers in CYP1 group were fed the same diets further supplemented with 250 mg/kg CYP, the CYP2 group was fed the same diets further supplemented with 500 mg/kg CYP, and the CYP3 group was fed the same diets further supplemented with 1000 mg/kg CYP, respectively. Each group consisted of three replicates and each replicate consisted of 30 birds. The feeding days were 48 days. The results observed that the CYP2 group (500 mg/kg) can up-regulate the mRNA expression levels of β-catenin in thigh muscle compared to the control group. At the same time, all CYP groups (CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 groups) can up-regulate mRNA expression of Wnt1 and β-catenin in breast muscle, while mRNA expression of PPARγ and C/EBPα in breast and thigh muscles could be down-regulated (p < 0.05). In summary, 500 mg/kg of CYP dietary supplementation can reduce IMF content and improve the FAs composition, enhancing the nutritional value of chicken meat.

This paper aims to identify Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCPs) as a potential feed additive used for swine production; thus, we explored the effects of different dietary inclusion levels of PCP on growth performance, immunity, and cecal microflora composition in weaned piglets. For this, a total of 120 28-day-old Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire weaned piglets (8.51 ± 0.19 kg; 28 ± 1 days of age) were randomly allocated to five groups that were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 0.025%, 0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.2% PCP, respectively, for 42 days. The results indicated that the average daily gain (ADG) and gain/feed ratio were higher in the PCP treatment groups than in the control group, with a linear effect. The serum concentrations of IgG, IgA, IL-2, IFN-γ, the number of CD4⁺ T cells, and the CD4⁺-to-CD8⁺ T-cell ratio (CD4⁺/CD8⁺) were increased, while the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were decreased in the PCP supplementation groups compared with those in the control group. Furthermore, the cytokine mRNA expression levels exhibited a similar trend in the spleen. PCP supplementation also reduced the abundance of Escherichia coli and Salmonella and enhanced that of Lactobacilli and Bifidobacteria in the cecum. In summary, dietary PCP inclusion exerted positive effects on the growth performance, immunity, and cecal microbiota of piglets and showed potential for use as a feed additive for improving the health of weaned piglets, with 0.1% being the optimal dosage.

Background/Objectives: This study investigated the effects of chestnut tannic acid (TA) on the growth performance, the expression of tight junction proteins and the composition of the gut microbiota of weaned piglets, which could provide novel insights into the application of TA in swine production. Methods: In a 42-day trial, 180 healthy, 21-day-old Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets were randomly assigned to a Control group and four treatment groups (TA1–4), fed commercial diets supplemented with 0, 0.06%, 0.12%, 0.18% or 0.24% TA. Each group had six replicates of six pigs each. Results: The average daily gain in all TA groups, the jejunal and ileal villus height and the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio in the TA3 and TA4 groups were markedly increased (p < 0.05). The mRNA levels of MUC2 and ZO-1 were upregulated in the TA3 group, as were those of MUC4 in the jejunum and ileum and claudin in the duodenum and ileum; glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity were upregulated in the duodenum and jejunum in the TA3 group, and total superoxide dismutase was increased in all the TA2 groups (p < 0.05). Conversely, the malondialdehyde significantly decreased in all the TA groups (p < 0.05). TA supplementation improved the alpha diversity of the intestinal microflora and augmented probiotic abundance while reducing that of pathogenic bacteria. The contents of acetic, isobutyric, valeric, isovaleric, hexanoic and propionic acids, as well as total short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), were higher in the TA2 and TA3 groups (p < 0.05). Conclusions: TA inclusion in piglet diets improved the intestinal environment by upregulating the antioxidant enzymes, improving intestinal morphology and promoting probiotic growth and SCFA production while reducing pathogenic bacterial abundance, consequently enhancing the gut barrier and the growth of weaned piglets.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of different vitamin D 3 concentrations in sows during pregnancy on adipogenic genes expression in musculus longissimus dorsi tissue and serum biochemical parameters in their piglets. In total 27 pregnant sows (41 st day of...

In this study, we explored the effects of dietary acorn on the meat quality and transcriptome profile of finishing Yuxi pigs. A total of 90 pigs (99.60 ± 1.63 kg) were randomly assigned to three groups: the control group fed a commercial diet (CN), and two treatment groups fed 100 (AC1) and 300 (AC2) g/kg of acorns, respectively. Each group contained five replicates with six pigs per replicate. After a 120-day treatment period, the AC2 group showed significantly higher pH_24h, a*, intramuscular fat, and umami amino acid and significantly lower L*, cooking loss, and shear force than the CN group (p < 0.05). Further, the AC2 group showed significantly increased glycogen, ATP, and ADP, creatine kinase activity, and myofiber density and significantly decreased glycolytic potential, lactic acid, and lactate dehydrogenase, malate dehydrogenase, phosphofructokinase muscle, and pyruvate kinase activities (p < 0.05). The mRNA levels of MYH7, MYH2, and MYH1 were significantly upregulated in the AC2 group (p < 0.05). A transcriptome analysis further revealed significant differences in gene expression patterns between the AC2 and CN groups. These findings suggest that dietary acorns at 300 g/kg improve pork quality by inducing the conversion of myofiber types and regulating glycolysis.