Study of fetal pig maturity in relation with neonatal survival using a multi-fluids metabolomic approach
Résumé
Selection for prolificacy and lean growth in swine has been associated with a substantial increase in piglet mortality. The first 24-48 hours after birth represent the most critical period. A major determinant for early survival is piglet maturity at birth, which strongly relies on the process of maturation during the last month of gestation. The objective of the current study was to compare progeny from Large White and Meishan pigs, which differ for piglet survival and vitality, to describe the metabolic status of the piglets. Thirty-nine sows were anesthetized at 90 or 110 days after conception (average gestation term: 114 days). Their fetuses (on average 15.7 per sow) were quickly obtained by caesarean section and this study focuses on the plasmatic, the urinary and the amniotic liquid metabolomes (1H-NMR) of 507 to 604 fetuses. Raw 1D Bruker spectral data files were treated with ASICS, an R package available on Bioconductor. ASICS allowed the direct identification and quantification of about 90 metabolites from a library of 190 metabolites, with about 60 metabolites per fluid, among which 39 were in common in the three fluids. A multivariate analysis and a mixed model were applied to the quantification results to explain the differences between the gestational stages and the breeds. The results provide new insights in the biological pathways involved in piglet maturation. Grants: ANR ANR-09-GENM005 (PORCINET) and ANR-16-CONV-0004 (#DigitAg), INRA (divisions GA, SA, MIA).