Maternal folic acid supplementation modulates the growth performance, muscle development and immunity of Hu sheep offspring of different litter size

It is generally accepted that the phenotype and gene expression pattern of the offspring can be altered by maternal folic acid (FA) supplementation during the gestation period. The aims of this study were to investigate the effects of maternal FA supplementation on the growth performance, muscle development and immunity of newborn lambs of different litter size. According to litter size (twins, TW; triplets, TR) and maternal dietary FA supplementation levels (control, C; 16 or 32 mg·kg-1 FA supplementation, F16 and F32), neonatal lambs were randomly divided into six groups (TW-C, TW-F16, TW-F32, TR-C, TR-F16 and TR-F32). After farrowing, the birth weight in TW was higher than that in the TR group, and increased with FA supplementation of their mothers (P<.05). Folate, IGF-I, IgM and IgA concentrations of newborn lambs showed a litter size and FA supplementation interaction (P<.05). FA supplementation also increased diameter, area, perimeter and DNA content of the longissimus dorsi muscle of the lambs (P<.05) regardless of the litter size. Transcriptome analysis of the longissimus dorsi muscle revealed differentially expressed genes with dietary FA supplementation enriched in immunity- and cell development-related genes. Furthermore, FA supplementation upregulated the expression of myogenesis-related genes, while downregulated those involved in the inhibition of muscle development. In addition, immunity-related genes in the neonatal lambs showed lower expression levels in response to maternal dietary FA supplementation. Overall, maternal FA supplementation during gestation could increase the offspring's birth weight and modulate its muscle development and immunity.