Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Long-Term Catheterization of the Intestinal Lymph Trunk and Collection of Lymph in Neonatal Pigs
Published on: March 5, 2016
Feeding Parenteral Nutrition in the Neonatal Period Programs Dyslipidemia in Adulthood in Yucatan Miniature Pigs
Raniru S Randunu1, Khaled Alawaini1, Lee-Anne Huber2
1Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada.
Background:
Early nutritional challenges can lead to permanent metabolic changes, increasing risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is a life-saving nutrition regimen, used especially in intrauterine growth-restricted (IUGR) neonates. Early TPN feeding alters metabolism, but whether these alterations are permanent is unclear. Programmed metabolism is likely caused by epigenetic changes due to imbalances of methyl nutrients.
Objectives:
We sought to determine whether feeding TPN in early life would increase risk of developing dyslipidemia in adulthood and whether supplementing the methyl nutrients betaine and creatine to TPN would prevent this development. We also sought to determine whether IUGR exacerbates the effects of neonatal TPN on lipid metabolism in adulthood.
Methods:
Female piglets (n = 32; 7 d old) were used in 4 treatments: 24 normal-weight piglets were randomly assigned to sow-fed (SowFed), standard TPN (TPN-control), and TPN with betaine and creatine (TPN-B+C); 8 IUGR piglets were fed control TPN (TPN-IUGR) as a fourth group. After 2 wk of treatment, all pigs were then fed a standard solid diet. At 8 mo old, central venous catheters were implanted to conduct postprandial fat tolerance tests.
Results:
Feeding TPN in the neonatal period led to dyslipidemia in adulthood, as indicated by higher postprandial triglyceride (TG) levels in TPN-control (P < 0.05), compared with SowFed. IUGR piglets were particularly sensitive to neonatal TPN feeding, as TPN-IUGR piglets developed obesity and dyslipidemia in adulthood, as indicated by greater backfat thickness (P < 0.05), higher liver TG (P < 0.05), slower postprandial TG clearance (P < 0.05), and elevated fasting plasma nonhigh-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (P < 0.01), and nonesterified fatty acids (P < 0.001), compared with TPN-control.
Conclusions:
Feeding TPN in early life increases the risk of developing dyslipidemia in adulthood, especially in IUGR neonates; however, methyl nutrient supplementation to TPN did not prevent TPN-induced changes in lipid metabolism.
Related Concept Videos
01:06Lipid Digestion
01:24Lipid Absorption
These breakdown products bind with bile salts and lecithin to form micelles, which quickly pass between microvilli to come in close contact with the apical...
01:27Parentral Nutrition: Centeral and Peripheral Parental Nutrition
PN can be administered through two primary routes:
1. Central Parenteral Nutrition (CPN):
CPN involves delivering a high concentration of nutrients through a large vein. This is typically achieved using a Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) or,...