Maternal butyrate supplementation affects the lipid metabolism and fatty acid composition in the skeletal muscle of offspring piglets

Maternal sodium butyrate (SB) intake has important effects on offspring growth and development. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of maternal SB supplementation during gestation and lactation on fatty acid composition and lipid metabolism in the offspring skeletal muscle of pigs. Twenty sows (Yorkshire, parity 2 to 3) were assigned to the control group (diets without SB, n = 10) and SB group (diets with 0.1% SB, n = 10). The results showed maternal SB supplementation throughout gestation and lactation increased (P < 0.05) body weight of offspring piglets at weaning. The concentrations of triglyceride in plasma and milk were enhanced (P < 0.05). Maternal SB induced (P < 0.05) lipid accumulation with increased expression of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (PPARγ) by enrichment of the acetylation of H3 acetylation K27 (H3K27) in offspring skeletal muscle. Meanwhile, the concentrations of C18:2n-6, C18:3n-3, total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), n-6 PUFA and n-3 PUFA decreased (P < 0.05) in skeletal muscle of weaning piglets derived from SB sows. Together, these results showed that maternal SB supplementation could influence offspring growth performance, lipid metabolism and fatty acid composition of the skeletal muscle.