Lipid metabolism and cellular features of skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue in pigs differing in IGF-II genotype

Abstract In pigs, a paternally (pat) imprinted mutation in the IGF-II gene is associated with increased muscle mass and decreased backfat thickness. The aim of this study was to determine whether this mutation influenced cellular, biochemical and metabolic features of skeletal muscle and adipose tissue. Muscle ( trapezius ) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SCAT) were collected from pigs (106 kg) carrying (Qpat, n  = 6) or not carrying (qpat, n  = 7) the mutation. Adipocytes were isolated from those tissues by collagenase treatment. Lipid content and activity of lipogenic enzymes were determined using standard assays. Gene expression levels were determined by real-time PCR. Levels of IGF-II mRNA were higher ( P P P P