Microarray analyses to identify differentially expressed genes for assessing meat quality in swine

In order to identify candidate genes and molecular mechanisms that influence meat quality and production in pigs, microarray experiments were carried out to find differences in gene expression levels between two pools of six individuals, constituting the extreme tails of the Gaussian distribution of seven adjusted phenotypes of 100 Landrace and Large White animals. The phenotypes considered in this study were: muscle compactness, marbling, colour uniformity, fat covering, colour, dorsal fat, thickness, ham fat thickness. 437 differentially expressed ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags) were found, clustering in different pathways according to their ontology. In particular, 73 functional categories were identified and ten of them could have a role in meat quality. Among the ESTs belonging to these pathways, seven of them were selected to be validated in quantitative real-time RT-PCR

Pig KALRN, MYH1, MLC2V, SNX13, AK1 and PPIA loci RH mapping and chromosome position refining

The suppressive subtractive hybridization technique was previously used by the authors to identify candidate genes for meat quality in pig. A set of ESTs homologous (>95%) to genes involved in muscle metabolism is reported in the present paper. Four ESTs homologous to MYH1, KALRN, MLC2V, and SNX13 genes plus two genes (AK1, PPIA) used as housekeeping for muscle tissue were assigned to porcine chromosomes using the INRA-Minnesota 7000 rads radiation hybrid panel (IMpRH). Our data confirm and refine the cytogenetic position of the KALRN, AK1, PPIA genes, improve the existing physical map of MYH1 and assign two new genes (MLC2V and SNX13) to swine chromosomes

RH mapping and real time evaluation of seven porcine candidate genes for meat quality previously identified by means of microarray

Pork is one of the most widely consumed meats worldwide.The selection for efficiency of ham production and quality is of major importance in modern Italian pig production. Gene expression profiles between two pools of six individuals constituting the extreme tails of the meat quality Gaussian distribution from 100 pure breed animals has been previously studied by means of microarray. Among 437 differentially expressed ESTs (Expressed Sequence Tags), seven could be considered candidate genes for meat quality. In fact, these genes were upregulated in animals of the positive tail and they were involved in insulin and muscle metabolism. Therefore, these genes were chosen to be evaluated by quantitative Real-Time PCR. IPP1 and HPRT genes, previously tested in a swine trascriptome analysis, were used as reference genes. These seven genes were also mapped on the swine chromosome using the IMpRH7000 panel. Two-point and multipoint analyses were carried out with assignment of markers on the current IMpRH map with LOD=6.0. At the same time, the PigQTLdb database gave positions of the QTL"s flanking markers. Our candidate genes were located in the same regions of putative QTLs related to meat quality

Transcriptome analysis to identify differential gene expression affecting meat quality in heavy Italian pigs

Suppressive subtractive hybridization (SSH) was used to analyse the muscle transcriptome and identify genes affecting meat quality within an Italian pig population of Large White and Landrace purebred individuals. Seven phenotypes were recorded at slaughter: dorsal fat thickness, ham fat thickness, ham fat coverage, muscle compactness, marbling, meat colour and colour uniformity. Two subtractive libraries were created from longissimus dorsi tissue of selected pigs with extreme phenotypes for meat quality. Eighty-four differentially expressed ESTs were identified, which showed homology to expressed pig sequences and/or to genomic pig sequences produced within the pig genome project. Sixty-eight sequences were mapped on the pig genome, and most of these sequences co-localized with the same chromosomal positions as QTLs that have been previously identified for meat quality. Thirty sequences, including eight matching known genes previously related to muscle metabolic pathways, were selected to statistically validate their differential expression. Association analysis and t-test results indicated that 28 ESTs of the 30 analysed were associated with phenotypes investigated here and have significant differential expression levels (P 64 0.05) between the two tails of the phenotypic distribution

Safety of long-term treatment with cabergoline on cardiac valve disease in patients with prolactinomas

Objective: Cabergoline (CAB) has been found to be associated with increased risk of cardiac valve regurgitation in Parkinson's disease, whereas several retrospective analyses failed to detect a similar relation in hyperprolactinemic patients. The current study aimed at investigating cardiac valve disease before and after 24 and 60 months of continuous treatment with CAB only in patients with hyperprolactinemia. Subjects and methods: Forty patients (11 men and 29 women, aged 38.7G12.5 years) newly diagnosed with hyperprolactinemia entered the study. Cumulative CAB dose ranged from 12 to 588 mg (median 48 mg) at 24 months and 48-1260 mg (median 149 mg) at 60 months. All patients underwent a complete trans-thoracic echocardiographic examination. Valve regurgitation was assessed according to the American Society of Echocardiography. Results: At baseline, the prevalence of trace mitral, aortic, pulmonic, and tricuspid regurgitations was 20, 2.5, 10, and 40% respectively, with no patient showing clinically relevant valvulopathy. After 24 months, no change in the prevalence of trace mitral (P=0.78) and pulmonic (P=0.89) regurgitations and of mild aortic (P=0.89) and tricuspid (P=0.89) regurgitations was found when compared with baseline. After 60 months, the prevalence of trace tricuspid regurgitation was only slightly increased when compared with that after 24 months (37.5%; P=0.82), but none of the patients developed significant valvulopathy. No correlation was found between cumulative dose and prevalence or grade of valve regurgitation at both evaluations. Prolactin levels normalized in all patients but one. Conclusion: CAB does not increase the risk of significant cardiac valve regurgitation in prolactinomas after the first 5 years of treatment. © 2013 European Society of Endocrinology