Effect of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency on composition of depot fat tissue – Study on pancreatic duct–ligated pigs used as a model for humans affected by pancreatic exocrine insufficiency

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2016-09, Vol.94, p.462-466
• Main Authors: Mößeler, A, Beyerbach, M, Kamphues, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age; Composition effects; Crude oil; Diet; Digestibility; Digestion; Euthanasia; Exocrine glands; Fatty acids; Hogs; Laboratory animals; Linseed oil; Malabsorption; Metabolism; Neck; Oils & fats; Pancreas; Rectum; Starch; Studies; Swine
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.2527/jas2015-9721

The pancreatic duct-ligated (PL) pig is an established model to study effects of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) in humans. The experimental induction of PEI causes a distinct reduction of nutrient digestibility resulting in maldigestion and malabsorption. Digestion of fat is affected to the greatest extent in the case of PEI as compensatory mechanisms are most limited, whereas starch digestion is almost complete. Deficiency of essential fatty acids is a well-known symptom of PEI in diverse species. The hypothesis of this study was that PEI affects the fatty acid pattern of fat tissue in growing pigs fed an identical diet. Twenty-six piglets were used in 2 consecutive trials in this study: 9 piglets underwent a sham operation at 7 wk of age (controls). In 9 pigs, pancreatic duct ligation was performed at the age of 7 wk (experimentally induced PEI at 7 wk of age [PL- 7]); in 8 other pigs, pancreatic duct ligation was performed at the age of 16 wk (experimentally induced PEI at 16 wk of age [PL-16]). None of the PL pigs received pancreatic enzyme therapy. A complete diet containing soy oil (30 g/kg, as fed) and linseed oil (50 g/kg, as fed; total fat content: 111 g crude fat/kg DM) was restrictively pair fed except for the final 2 wk (ad libitum). Pigs were euthanized at the age of 26 wk and fat tissue was sampled from the neck. Digesta samples from the rectum were taken to determine crude fat digestibility. The final BW significantly differed (P < 0.05) between the groups (control: 117 ± 8.07 kg; PL-7: 46.2 ± 22.4 kg; and PL-16: 96.4 ± 9.89 kg) as did crude fat digestibility (control: 79.0 ± 2.00%; PL-7: 14.0 ± 9.20%; and PL-16: 13.0 ± 10.9%). Although the diet consumed and the age at euthanasia were identical, PL-7 pigs showed an increased proportion of SFA in fat tissue whereas C18:3n-3 decreased. The increase of C16:0 and C18:0 is supposed to result from the relatively higher rate of de novo fat synthesis in PL-7 pigs. The PL-16 pigs did not differ from controls (exception: increase of C18:0), indicating that these changes need some time or are related to the age when PEI is induced. Whether this finding results from impaired digestion and absorption of different fatty acids or affected intermediary metabolism requires further investigation.