Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41514165›Full record

ArticleJournal of animal science2026

Integrated fetal testicular transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles during maternal nutrient restriction with dietary melatonin intervention.

Hala El Daous, Brittni P Littlejohn, Zully E Contreras-Correa, Shiveeli Rajput, Darcie R Sidelinger, E Heath King, Mark A Arick, Caleb O Lemley

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of animal science, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Hala El DaousDepartment of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762.
Brittni P LittlejohnDepartment of Animal Science, Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701.
Zully E Contreras-CorreaDepartment of Animal Science, Tarleton State University, Stephenville, TX, 76402.ORCID 0000-0003-2653-0336
Shiveeli RajputDepartment of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762.
Darcie R SidelingerDepartment of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State, MS, 39762.
E Heath KingDepartment of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State, MS, 39762.
Mark A ArickInstitute for Genomics, Biocomputing and Biotechnology, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762.
Caleb O LemleyDepartment of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, 39762.ORCID 0000-0003-1377-0664

Funding

National Institute of Food and AgricultureU.S. Department of Agriculture 1011100U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service 6066-31000-015-00D
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Fetal development is a critical period that establishes reproductive efficiency and herd performance depending on in-utero epigenetic modifications. Dietary restrictions may affect fetal testis development and the offspring fertility. Several studies have connected genetic instability to circadian cycle disruptions, including epigenetic modifications to melatonin, a key regulator. On day 160 of gestation, 17 male-bearing Brangus heifers were assigned to one of four groups in a 2 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement: adequately fed (ADQ; 100% NRC recommendation, n = 3), nutrient restricted (RES; 60% NRC recommendation, n = 5), or ADQ or RES supplemented with 20 mg/d melatonin (ADQ-MEL, n = 5; RES-MEL, n = 4). On day 240 of gestation, heifers underwent Cesarean sections to collect fetuses and testicular tissues. The fetal testicular tissue was processed and analyzed using the Methyl-MiniSeq Service: Genome-wide bisulfite sequencing (Methyl MiniSeq-GWBS). Sequence reads from Methyl Mini-Seq libraries were identified using standard Illumina platform calling software for methylome profile. RNA-Seq libraries were then sequenced on the Illumina platform for transcriptome profile. The common genes between differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across different treatment groups were identified by an overlap analysis using bedtools v2.31.1. There were 413 DMRs in RES-CON and ADQ-CON testicular tissues, without differential gene expression. Compared with the ADQ-CON group, the ADQ-MEL group showed 411 DMRs and a higher KYAT1 gene expression (P-adj <0.05) without methylation changes. Comparing RES-MEL with RES-CON showed that 9 genes (DAAM1, COL28A1, RPL10, TRPM3, SLIT, ARHGEF40, SYT1, TMEM35B, CSPG4B) were expressed more in the former (P-adj <0.05). The only hypomethylated gene was DAAM1 located on chromosome 10. However, 13 genes (PTPRU, snRNP-E, TMEM59L, MUC5B, ANAPC15, FAM221A, SHCBPiL, PAQR5, PPP4R3C, DTNB, LncRNA, SHANK2, RIC3) showed increased expression in RES-CON vs. RES-MEL without differential methylation alterations, yet there were 370 DMRs. Five genes showed increased expression in RES-MEL compared with ADQ-MEL (P-adj <0.05), including histone H2B on chromosome 23. Two genes (PTPRU, TDRD10) showed increased expression in ADQ-MEL compared with RES-MEL (P-adj <0.05) without affecting methylation and 344 DMRs. In conclusion, dietary melatonin supplementation to nutrient restricted dams may influence fetal development as epigenomic and transcriptomic regulators are altered.

Indexed as

MelatoninTestisTranscriptomeAnimal FeedAnimalsCattleDietDietary SupplementsDNA MethylationEpigenesis, GeneticFemaleMaleMaternal Nutritional Physiological PhenomenaPregnancyMelatoninmelatoninnutrient restrictiontesticular DNA methylationtesticular transcriptomics

Identifiers

PMID41514165
PMCPMC12863962

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.