Effect of enhanced dietary intake during the pre-weaning period on the subcutaneous adipose transcriptome and proteome of young bull calves

Adipose tissue represents a major endocrine organ, playing a central role in many biochemical systems regulating metabolic status and energy homeostasis, as well as the metabolic regulation of reproductive function in cattle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of differential plane of nutrition from 2 to 12 weeks of age on the molecular regulation of subcutaneous adipose in bull calves. Holstein-Friesian bull calves were offered either a high (HI; n = 15) or moderate (MOD; n = 15) plane of nutrition from 2 to 12 weeks of age. At 12 weeks of age all calves were euthanised and subcutaneous adipose samples harvested, which were then subjected to global transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. Growth rates during the differential feeding period were 0.58 and 0.88 kg/day for MOD and HI groups, respectively. A total of 1,311 mRNA, 6 miRNA and 196 proteins displayed differential abundance (adj. P-value < 0.05; fold change > 1.5) between the HI and MOD treatment groups. Pathway analysis revealed enrichment of pathways related to cholesterol biosynthesis and PPAR signalling. Results from this study identify novel genes regulating the molecular response of subcutaneous adipose tissue to an elevated plane of nutrition during the pre-weaning period in bull calves.