Exposure to artificial ultraviolet-B light mediates alterations on the hepatic transcriptome and vitamin D metabolism in pigs
Date
2023-11-19
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Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
In the currently prevailing pig husbandry systems, the vitamin D status is almost exclusively dependent on dietary supply. Additional endogenous vitamin D production after exposure to ultraviolet-B (UVB) light might allow the animals to utilize minerals in a more efficient manner, as well as enable the production of functional vitamin D-enriched meat for human consumption. In this study, growing pigs (n = 16) were subjected to a control group or to a daily narrowband UVB exposure of 1 standard erythema dose (SED) for a period of 9 weeks until slaughter at a body weight of 105 kg. Transcriptomic profiling of liver with emphasis on the associated effects on vitamin D metabolism due to UVB exposure were evaluated via RNA sequencing. Serum was analyzed for vitamin D status and health parameters such as minerals and biochemical markers. The serum concentration of calcidiol, but not calcitriol, was significantly elevated in response to UVB exposure after 17 days on trial. No effects of UVB exposure were observed on growth performance and blood test results. At slaughter, the RNA sequencing analyses following daily UVB exposure revealed 703 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in liver tissue (adjusted p-value < 0.01). Results showed that molecular pathways for vitamin D synthesis (CYP2R1) rather than cholesterol synthesis (DHCR7) were preferentially initiated in liver. Gene enrichment (p < 0.05) was observed for reduced cholesterol/steroid biosynthesis, SNARE interactions in vesicular transport, and CDC42 signaling. Taken together, dietary vitamin D supply can be complemented via endogenous production after UVB exposure in pig husbandry, which could be considered in the development of functional foods.
Description
Publication history: Accepted - 17 November 2023; Published online - 19 November 2023.
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Keywords
Pork, Skin exposure, Transcriptome, UV light, Vitamin D metabolites
Citation
Hasan, M., Reyer, H., Oster, M., Trakooljul, N., Ponsuksilli, S., Magowan, E., Fischer, D.-C. and Wimmers, K. (2024) ‘Exposure to artificial ultraviolet-B light mediates alterations on the hepatic transcriptome and vitamin D metabolism in pigs’, The Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. Elsevier BV. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsbmb.2023.106428.