Both dietary supplementation with monosodium L-glutamate and fat modify circulating and tissue amino acid pools in growing pigs, but with little interactive effect

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 21;9(1):e84533. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0084533. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Background: The Chinese population has undergone rapid transition to a high-fat diet. Furthermore, monosodium L-glutamate (MSG) is widely used as a daily food additive in China. Little information is available on the effects of oral MSG and dietary fat supplementation on the amino acid balance in tissues. The present study aimed to determine the effects of both dietary fat and MSG on amino acid metabolism in growing pigs, and to assess any possible interactions between these two nutrients.

Methods and results: Four iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric diets (basal diet, high fat diet, basal diet with 3% MSG and high fat diet with 3% MSG) were provided to growing pigs. The dietary supplementation with fat and MSG used alone and in combination were found to modify circulating and tissue amino acid pools in growing pigs. Both dietary fat and MSG modified the expression of gene related to amino acid transport in jejunum.

Conclusions: Both dietary fat and MSG clearly influenced amino acid content in tissues but in different ways. Both dietary fat and MSG enhance the absorption of amino acids in jejunum. However, there was little interaction between the effects of dietary fat and MSG.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acids / blood*
  • Animals
  • Diet, High-Fat
  • Dietary Fats / administration & dosage*
  • Female
  • Food Additives / administration & dosage*
  • Gene Expression
  • Jejunum / metabolism
  • Male
  • Receptors, Calcium-Sensing / genetics
  • Receptors, Calcium-Sensing / metabolism
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / genetics
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • Sodium Glutamate / administration & dosage*
  • Swine / blood*

Substances

  • Amino Acids
  • Dietary Fats
  • Food Additives
  • Receptors, Calcium-Sensing
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • taste receptors, type 1
  • Sodium Glutamate

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the Major Program for International Cooperation of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31110103909), Funds of the Chinese Academy of Sciences for Key Topics in Innovation Engineering (Grant No. KZCX2-EW-412) and Funds of Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, the Chinese Academy of Sciences for field cutting-edge (Grant No. Y151012100). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.