Lipidomics analysis of adipose depots at differently aged Sunit sheep

The objective of this study was to optimize the utilization of deposited fat in Sunit sheep, with a focus on dietary nutrition. This study also elucidated variations in lipid metabolism among subcutaneous fat (SF), perirenal fat (PF), and tail fat (TF) in sheep of different ages using non-targeted lipidomic techniques. In total, 173 different lipids were identified, of which triacylglycerol (TG) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were prominent. The relative intensity of TG was highest at 6 months of age in three adipose depots. Glycerophospholipids (PLs) were expressed at peak levels in TF and SF at 18 months of age. Pathway analysis revealed that biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and fatty acid biosynthesis were the main pathways involved in the metabolism of adipose depots. These findings provide a comprehensive reference for the metabolic characteristics and pathways of adipose tissue in sheep and the utilization of its by-products.