Table 7.
Effects of dietary L-arginine and N-carbamylglutamate supplementation on the relative mRNA expressions of selected inflammatory and apoptotic genes in the liver of IUGR suckling lambs.
| Item | CON | IUGR | IUGR+1%Arg | IUGR+0.1% NCG | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MyD88 | 1.00 ± 0.15b | 1.76 ± 0.21a | 1.03 ± 0.14b | 0.99 ± 0.11b | 0.017 |
| TLR-2 | 1.00 ± 0.05 | 1.09 ± 0.09 | 1.02 ± 0.07 | 1.07 ± 0.04 | 0.119 |
| TLR-4 | 1.00 ± 0.05c | 1.71 ± 0.15a | 1.39 ± 0.09b | 1.42 ± 0.14b | 0.008 |
| TLR-9 | 1.00 ± 0.06c | 1.69 ± 0.16a | 1.33 ± 0.14b | 1.38 ± 0.16b | 0.011 |
| TRAF-6 | 1.00 ± 0.09 | 0.99 ± 0.11 | 1.07 ± 0.14 | 1.03 ± 0.12 | 0.103 |
| IL-6 | 1.00 ± 0.07b | 1.48 ± 0.17a | 1.03 ± 0.14b | 0.99 ± 0.08b | 0.004 |
| IL-1β | 1.00 ± 0.08c | 1.76 ± 0.15a | 1.38 ± 0.11b | 1.41 ± 0.09b | 0.010 |
| NF-κB | 1.00 ± 0.04c | 1.73 ± 0.11a | 1.42b ± 0.09 | 1.41 ± 0.06b | 0.008 |
| TNF-α | 1.00 ± 0.07c | 1.59 ± 0.14a | 1.32 ± 0.11b | 1.31 ± 0.13b | 0.007 |
| Fas | 1.00 ± 0.11c | 2.09 ± 0.21a | 1.51 ± 0.11b | 1.57 ± 0.15b | 0.009 |
| Fasl | 1.00 ± 0.05a | 0.35 ± 0.03c | 0.67 ± 0.07b | 0.64 ± 0.06b | 0.005 |
| P53 | 1.00 ± 0.08c | 1.98 ± 0.19a | 1.49 ± 0.15b | 1.44 ± 0.11b | 0.014 |
| Caspase-3 | 1.00 ± 0.09c | 2.12 ± 0.17a | 1.49 ± 0.10b | 1.47 ± 0.15b | 0.012 |
| Caspase-8 | 1.00 ± 0.08c | 1.86 ± 0.17a | 1.42 ± 0.10b | 1.39 ± 0.12b | 0.007 |
| Caspase-9 | 1.00 ± 0.11c | 1.79 ± 0.18a | 1.37 ± 0.15b | 1.40 ± 0.12b | 0.011 |
| Bcl-2 | 1.00 ± 0.08a | 0.48 ± 0.05c | 0.73 ± 0.06b | 0.71 ± 0.09b | 0.008 |
| Bax | 1.00 ± 0.12c | 2.56 ± 0.18a | 1.79 ± 0.11b | 1.71 ± 0.13b | 0.006 |
Mean values with their SEM, n = 12 in each group. a,b,cMean values within a row with different superscript letters were significantly different (P < 0.05). MyD88: myeloid differentiation factor 88; TRAF-6: tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6; TLR: Toll-like receptor; IL: interleukin; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor α; p53: protein 53; Bax: Bcl-2-associated X protein; Bcl-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; Fas: apoptosis antigen 1; Fasl: Fas ligand; CON: the normal birth weight group given a control diet; IUGR: the intrauterine growth retardation group given a control diet; IUGR+Arg: the intrauterine growth retardation group given a L-arginine-supplemented diet; IUGR+NCG: the intrauterine growth retardation group given a N-carbamylglutamate-supplemented diet.