Adipose tissue fat accumulation is reduced by a single intraperitoneal injection of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist when given to newly hatched chicks

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is a transcription factor that regulates adipocyte differentiation and modulates lipid metabolism in mammals. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the administration of PPARγ ligands, adipogenic cocktail, or both to newly hatched chicks regulates adipocyte differentiation in vivo and modulates fat deposition in growing broiler chickens. Levels of PPARγ, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein α, and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein mRNA in the abdominal fat pad of 7-d-old broiler chicks given a single intraperitoneal dose of troglitazone, a synthetic PPARγ ligand, at 1 d old were significantly greater than those in control chickens. This suggests administration of troglitazone enhanced adipocyte differentiation in vivo. Adipose tissue weight in 28-d-old chickens similarly administered triolein emulsion containing troglitazone or adipogenic cocktail (i.e., dexamethasone, insulin, isobutyl-methylxanthine, and oleic acid) was also significantly less than that of control chickens. However, there was no significant difference in BW between treated and control chickens. Although BW and carcass composition were not different between troglitazone-treated and control chickens, at 48 d of age abdominal fat pad weight and feed intake were significantly decreased in chickens treated with troglitazone compared with controls. These results demonstrate that a single intraperitoneal injection of troglitazone to newly hatched chicks reduces fat deposition in mature broiler chickens.