Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression
Abstract Background Vitellogenin (VTG) is a precursor of egg yolk proteins synthesized within the liver of oviparous vertebrates. Betaine is an important methyl donor that is reported to improve egg production of laying hens with an unclear mechanism. In the present study, we fed betaine-supplemente...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-017-0218-9 |
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| author | Nagmeldin A. Omer Yun Hu Yan Hu Abdulrahman A. Idriss Halima Abobaker Zhen Hou Haibo Dong Ruqian Zhao |
| author_facet | Nagmeldin A. Omer Yun Hu Yan Hu Abdulrahman A. Idriss Halima Abobaker Zhen Hou Haibo Dong Ruqian Zhao |
| author_sort | Nagmeldin A. Omer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Vitellogenin (VTG) is a precursor of egg yolk proteins synthesized within the liver of oviparous vertebrates. Betaine is an important methyl donor that is reported to improve egg production of laying hens with an unclear mechanism. In the present study, we fed betaine-supplemented diet (0.5%) to laying hens for 4 wk and investigated its effect on VTGII expression in the liver. Results Betaine did not affect chicken weight, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased egg laying rate accompanied with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in hepatic concentration and plasma level of VTGII. Plasma estrogen level did not change, but the hepatic expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) mRNA was significantly (P < 0.05) up-regulated. Betaine did not affect the protein content of ERα, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased hepatic expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) at both mRNA and protein levels. Also, ERα/GR interaction tended to be enhanced in the liver nuclear lysates of betaine-supplemented hens as determined by co-immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, dietary betaine supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the hepatic expression of methyl-transfer enzymes, such as BHMT, GNMT, and DNMT1, which was associated with higher SAM/SAH ratio and hypomethylation of GR promoter regions. Conclusions Betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in association with modified DNA methylation of GR gene promoter, GR expression and ERα/GR interaction. Activation of hepatic VTGII expression may contribute, at least partly, to improved egg production in betaine-supplemented hens. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:08:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-93fabd21a657441b9521f1042c20314c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-1891 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T14:08:50Z |
| publishDate | 2018-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-93fabd21a657441b9521f1042c20314c2022-12-22T01:45:34ZengBMCJournal of Animal Science and Biotechnology2049-18912018-01-019111010.1186/s40104-017-0218-9Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expressionNagmeldin A. Omer0Yun Hu1Yan Hu2Abdulrahman A. Idriss3Halima Abobaker4Zhen Hou5Haibo Dong6Ruqian Zhao7MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityMOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityPoultry Institute, Chinese Academy of Agriculture SciencesMOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityMOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityMOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityMOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityMOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health & Food Safety, Nanjing Agricultural UniversityAbstract Background Vitellogenin (VTG) is a precursor of egg yolk proteins synthesized within the liver of oviparous vertebrates. Betaine is an important methyl donor that is reported to improve egg production of laying hens with an unclear mechanism. In the present study, we fed betaine-supplemented diet (0.5%) to laying hens for 4 wk and investigated its effect on VTGII expression in the liver. Results Betaine did not affect chicken weight, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased egg laying rate accompanied with a significant (P < 0.05) increase in hepatic concentration and plasma level of VTGII. Plasma estrogen level did not change, but the hepatic expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) mRNA was significantly (P < 0.05) up-regulated. Betaine did not affect the protein content of ERα, but significantly (P < 0.05) increased hepatic expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) at both mRNA and protein levels. Also, ERα/GR interaction tended to be enhanced in the liver nuclear lysates of betaine-supplemented hens as determined by co-immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, dietary betaine supplementation significantly increased (P < 0.05) the hepatic expression of methyl-transfer enzymes, such as BHMT, GNMT, and DNMT1, which was associated with higher SAM/SAH ratio and hypomethylation of GR promoter regions. Conclusions Betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in association with modified DNA methylation of GR gene promoter, GR expression and ERα/GR interaction. Activation of hepatic VTGII expression may contribute, at least partly, to improved egg production in betaine-supplemented hens.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-017-0218-9BetaineGlucocorticoid receptorHypomethylationLaying hensVitellogenin |
| spellingShingle | Nagmeldin A. Omer Yun Hu Yan Hu Abdulrahman A. Idriss Halima Abobaker Zhen Hou Haibo Dong Ruqian Zhao Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology Betaine Glucocorticoid receptor Hypomethylation Laying hens Vitellogenin |
| title | Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression |
| title_full | Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression |
| title_fullStr | Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression |
| title_full_unstemmed | Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression |
| title_short | Dietary betaine activates hepatic VTGII expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of GR gene promoter and enhanced GR expression |
| title_sort | dietary betaine activates hepatic vtgii expression in laying hens associated with hypomethylation of gr gene promoter and enhanced gr expression |
| topic | Betaine Glucocorticoid receptor Hypomethylation Laying hens Vitellogenin |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-017-0218-9 |
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