Pig fat varies by location, revealing metabolic clues
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Researchers in China investigated the molecular makeup of fat from Shanxia long black pigs, a local breed, and discovered that fat from different parts of the animal has distinct chemical compositions.
Li Zhang, Longyun Li, and Yizhong Huang led a team that examined six pigs, each weighing around 105 kilograms, raised at a breeding company in Jiangxi province.
The scientists analyzed four fat deposits, backfat from under the skin, fat from around the intestines (visceral fat), fat from around the kidneys, and more backfat, to understand how lipids and gene activity differed between them. The study identified 668 different lipid species across the four fat depots. Triglycerides dominated all tissues, but visceral fat contained more free fatty acids than subcutaneous fat.
Statistical analysis clearly distinguished the tissues from one another, with the greatest difference between fat from the chest and visceral fat. The researchers found specific lipids that reliably identify each fat depot, including ceramides and triglycerides. Further analysis of gene activity revealed that visceral fat was the most active, showing increased expression of genes involved in immune response and signaling. Subcutaneous fat showed greater activity in genes related to fat metabolism.
By combining the lipid and gene data, the team identified six genes linked to multiple lipid species, suggesting their roles in controlling fat composition. For example, the gene SCD appeared to regulate ceramide levels, potentially impacting metabolic health. The researchers acknowledge the study’s limited sample size and plan future experiments to confirm the connections between genes and lipids. They also suggest these findings could help improve breeding programs and identify the origin of fat products.
