Effects of Early Resveratrol Intervention on Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Function and Redox Status in Neonatal Piglets with or without Intrauterine Growth Retardation

Skeletal muscle mitochondrial malfunction of offspring induced by intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) may be a contributor to growth restriction and metabolic disorder at various periods of life. This study explored the effects of IUGR and resveratrol (RSV) on mitochondrial function and redox status in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) of piglets during the sucking period. A total of 36 pairs of IUGR and normal birth weight male piglets were orally fed with either 80 mg RSV/kg body weight/d or 0.5% carboxymethylcellulose sodium during days 7-21 after birth. The results showed that RSV treatment improved anomalous mitochondrial morphology, increased adenosine triphosphate and glycogen contents, and enhanced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide/reduced form of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide ratio in the LM of IUGR piglets. Moreover, the IUGR-induced increased malondialdehyde and protein carbonyl concentrations, abnormal mtDNA number, and suppressed genes expression of mitochondrial biogenesis such as nuclear respiratory factor 1, estrogen-related receptor alpha, and polymerase gamma in the LM were restored to some extent by RSV treatment. Additionally, RSV increased mitochondrial complex V activity in the LM of piglets. Collectively, RSV administration alleviated the LM mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative damage of IUGR piglets.