THE EFFECTS OF POOR MATERNAL NUTRITION ON OFFSPRING GROWTH AND METABOLISM
Poor maternal nutrition during gestation is known to alter offspring growth and lead to health complications later in life. In livestock, this can lead to reduced productivity and quality of product. In all species this can lead to health complications including obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Using a sheep model, we are examining the effects of feeding 60, 100 and 140% of NRC requirements beginning at day 30 of gestation on offspring growth, body composition, circulating growth factors, metabolism and stem cell function during offspring prenatal and postnatal growth. This is an ongoing collaborative project with colleagues at UConn (Steve Zinn and Sarah Reed). Our lab is focusing on the following:
1. Offspring mesenchymal stem cell function:
Using a sheep model, we determined that both restricted and over-feeding impair stem cell function and metabolic activity in controlled culture condition. Although differentiation ability of the cells was not altered, it is likely these changes contribute to overall altered growth. Future studies are aimed at identify the mechanisms that contribute to altered stem cell function and metabolism using sheep and rodent models.
2. Offspring pancreas development:
Using a sheep model, we are determining the effects of restricted and over-feeding on offspring pancreas development and function. This work is being conducted by Dr. Hoffman as part of her postdoctoral fellowship grant from USDA.
3. Offspring muscle growth and gene expression:
Using a sheep model, we determined that both under- and over-feeding alter offspring muscle growth similarly, but potentially through different mechansims including changes in gene expression and satellite cell function. Current studies are being done to determine the effect of maternal diet at key stages of fetal development and using RNA-Seq analysis to determine key genes and networks involved in these changes.
THE EFFECTS OF RESTRICTED-FEEDING AND RE-ALIMENTATION ON FETAL LIVER AND MUSCLE GROWTH AND METABOLISM
In collaboration with North Dakota State University (Kim Vonnahme) and our group at UConn, we will determine effects of maternal diet on offspring muscle and liver growth using histology and metabolites using mass spectrometry.
HOST-PATHOGEN INTERACTION IN BOVINE MASTITIS AND USE OF PLANT-DERIVED ANTIMICROBIOALS TO PREVENT AND/OR TREAT INFECTION
Using a bovine primary cell culture model, we determined that plant-derived antimicrobial trans-cinnemaldehyde and eugenol prevent adhesion and invasion of staphylococcus aureus in bovine mammary epithelial cells. We are in the process of using RNA-Seq analysis to determine mechanisms involved in the host-pathogen interaction in both the host and pathogen.
Poor maternal nutrition during gestation is known to alter offspring growth and lead to health complications later in life. In livestock, this can lead to reduced productivity and quality of product. In all species this can lead to health complications including obesity, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Using a sheep model, we are examining the effects of feeding 60, 100 and 140% of NRC requirements beginning at day 30 of gestation on offspring growth, body composition, circulating growth factors, metabolism and stem cell function during offspring prenatal and postnatal growth. This is an ongoing collaborative project with colleagues at UConn (Steve Zinn and Sarah Reed). Our lab is focusing on the following:
1. Offspring mesenchymal stem cell function:
Using a sheep model, we determined that both restricted and over-feeding impair stem cell function and metabolic activity in controlled culture condition. Although differentiation ability of the cells was not altered, it is likely these changes contribute to overall altered growth. Future studies are aimed at identify the mechanisms that contribute to altered stem cell function and metabolism using sheep and rodent models.
2. Offspring pancreas development:
Using a sheep model, we are determining the effects of restricted and over-feeding on offspring pancreas development and function. This work is being conducted by Dr. Hoffman as part of her postdoctoral fellowship grant from USDA.
3. Offspring muscle growth and gene expression:
Using a sheep model, we determined that both under- and over-feeding alter offspring muscle growth similarly, but potentially through different mechansims including changes in gene expression and satellite cell function. Current studies are being done to determine the effect of maternal diet at key stages of fetal development and using RNA-Seq analysis to determine key genes and networks involved in these changes.
THE EFFECTS OF RESTRICTED-FEEDING AND RE-ALIMENTATION ON FETAL LIVER AND MUSCLE GROWTH AND METABOLISM
In collaboration with North Dakota State University (Kim Vonnahme) and our group at UConn, we will determine effects of maternal diet on offspring muscle and liver growth using histology and metabolites using mass spectrometry.
HOST-PATHOGEN INTERACTION IN BOVINE MASTITIS AND USE OF PLANT-DERIVED ANTIMICROBIOALS TO PREVENT AND/OR TREAT INFECTION
Using a bovine primary cell culture model, we determined that plant-derived antimicrobial trans-cinnemaldehyde and eugenol prevent adhesion and invasion of staphylococcus aureus in bovine mammary epithelial cells. We are in the process of using RNA-Seq analysis to determine mechanisms involved in the host-pathogen interaction in both the host and pathogen.