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Effects of Maternal Nutrient Restriction and Melatonin Supplementation on Cardiomyocyte Cell Development Parameters
Mitra Mazinani1, Zully E Contreras-Correa2, Vahid Behzadan3
1Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844, USA.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|July 27, 2022
Summary
Maternal feed restriction reduced fetal cardiomyocyte numbers, but melatonin supplementation helped mitigate these effects. Machine learning predicted binucleation and hypertrophy, identifying key fetal development factors.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive physiology
- Fetal development
- Cardiovascular science
Background:
- Maternal nutrition significantly impacts fetal development.
- Melatonin's role in fetal growth requires further investigation.
- Cardiomyocyte development is crucial for cardiac function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of maternal feed restriction and melatonin on fetal cardiomyocyte development in beef heifers.
- To utilize machine learning to predict fetal cardiomyocyte binucleation and hypertrophy.
Main Methods:
- A 2x2 factorial design with 29 pregnant Brangus heifers.
- Treatments included adequate (ADQ) or restricted (RES) nutrition and melatonin (MEL) or no melatonin (CON) supplementation.
- Fetal parameters and cardiomyocyte characteristics were analyzed, with machine learning models applied for prediction.
Main Results:
- Restricted nutrition increased large blood vessel perimeter and decreased binucleated cardiomyocytes.
- Melatonin supplementation increased capillary number in nutrient-restricted fetuses.
- Machine learning models identified left heart ventricular thickness and heart weight as key predictors for binucleation and hypertrophy, respectively.
Conclusions:
- Maternal feed restriction negatively impacts fetal cardiomyocyte development, reducing binucleation.
- Melatonin supplementation can partially counteract the adverse effects of restricted nutrition on fetal cardiac development.
- Machine learning effectively predicts cardiomyocyte development parameters, highlighting important influencing factors.
