Feed restriction and genetic selection on the expression and activity of metabolism regulatory enzymes in rabbits

This work aims at the identification of relevant intermediate metabolism enzymes contributing to improved meat production due to genetic selection. A wild rabbit (WR) breed and a highly meat selected breed (New Zealand (NZ) rabbit) were used. Food restriction was used as an experimental condition so as to enhance differences within the metabolic pathways under study. During a period of 30 days, NZ and WR experimental breeds were subjected to, respectively, 40% and 60% ad libitum food restriction leading to 17.7% and 21.1% initial weight. Hepatic glycolytic, lipidic and protein regulatory enzyme activity, transcriptional and metabolite levels were determined. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1), triiodothyronine, and cortisol were also evaluated. In the glycolytic pathways, the NZ control rabbits presented a higher phosphofructokinase and pyruvate kinase activity level when compared to the WR, while the latter group showed a higher expression of glycogen synthase, although with less glycogen content. In the nitrogen metabolism, our results showed a lower activity level of glutamate dehydrogenase in WR when subjected to food restriction. Within the lipid metabolism, results showed that although WR had a significantly higher mRNA hepatic lipase, non-esterified fatty acid levels were similar between the experimental groups. NZ rabbits presented a better glycemia control and greater energy substrate availability leading to enhanced productivities in which triiodothyronine and IGF-1 played a relevant role.