Metabolic phenotypes associated with differential growth in twin fetuses in late gestation

<p dir="ltr">The objective of this study was to evaluate the relationship between fetal weight and targeted metabolomic profiles of twin fetuses in late gestation to provide insights into metabolic phenotypes associated with differential fetal growth. Archived fetal plasma samples from ewes managed in an outdoor forage-based production system were used for targeted metabolomic profiling where there was divergence in twin fetal weight at 135 days of gestation (4.0 to 6.5kg; n=40). Pearson correlations between fetal weight and plasma metabolite profiles were determined. There were 7 positive and 4 negative correlations between metabolite profiles and fetal weight (P<0.05). Key metabolic phenotypes that differed between high and low fetal weight included nitric oxide and serotonin signalling, oxidative stress, and the supply of specific amino acids (arginine, lysine, histidine and threonine). These results provide insights into the metabolic pathways important for the regulation of fetal growth and development in late gestation in twin-born lambs.</p>