Pig models reveal the interplay between fatty acids and cytokines in skeletal muscle.

Fatty acids, particularly those derived from plant and animal oils, play roles in physiological functions and metabolic regulation in pigs. Imbalances in the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may influence inflammatory responses, including the modulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. This study aimed to investigate the gene co-expression profiles in the skeletal muscle of pigs fed diets supplemented with 3.0% soybean, canola, or fish oils, correlating these profiles with cytokine abundance and identifying hub genes associated with immune-related pathways using a systems biology approach. Skeletal muscle samples from 27 pigs were subjected to RNA sequencing and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to construct gene co-expression networks. The concentrations of six cytokines (IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α) were quantified in muscle tissue using ELISA. Functional enrichment analysis and hub gene identification revealed several key genes involved in immune function and fatty acid metabolism. WGCNA uncovered distinct co-expression modules associated with specific dietary oil treatments. These findings provide new insights into the immunomodulatory effects of soybean, canola, and fish oils, highlighting the relevance of nutrigenomics in understanding gene-diet interactions in pigs.