Effects of perilla frutescens seed supplemented to diet on fatty acid composition and lipogenic gene expression in muscle and liver of Hu lambs

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of perilla (perilla frutescens L.) seed (PFS) supplementation on serum lipids metabolism, intramuscular adipocyte size, fatty acid composition and lipogenic genes expression in muscle and liver of Hu lambs. Sixty male Hu lambs (23.02 ± 1.36 kg body weight and approximately 3 months of age) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments receiving diets containing 0%, 5%, 10% or 15% perilla seed (CD, 5%PFSD, 10%PFSD and 15%PFSD, respectively). During the 84 days experimental period, these groups were fed the assigned diets ad libitum. Compared with CD group, LDL-cholesterol, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in the serum significantly (P < 0.05) increased with the supplementation of PFS to lamb diets. The supplementation of PFS promote intramuscular adipocyte hypertrophy (P < 0.05). Adding PFS rich in α-linolenic acid (ALA) increased the contents of ALA, vaccenic acid (VA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), in longissimus muscle and liver (P < 0.05). However, the contents of C18:1cis9, linoleic acid (LA), and total saturated fatty acids (SFA) and n-6 to n-3 ratio decreased in muscle and liver in PFS groups compared with CD group (P < 0.05). The supplementation of PFS significantly increased PPARα and PPARγ expression and significantly decreased LPL, ACC, FASN, SCD, FADS1, and FADS2 expression (P < 0.05). These results suggest that PFS supplementation in lambs’ diets can influence the metabolism of lipids and promotes intramuscular adipocyte hypertrophy and deposition of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) in muscle and live tissues.