Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) refers to poor growth of a baby while in the mother's womb during pregnancy. There are many causes but most often involve poor maternal nutrition, inadequate food intake, environmental stress, disease, dysfunction of placenta or endometrium. At least 60% of the 4 million neonatal deaths that occur worldwide every year are associated with low birth weight (LBW), caused by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), preterm delivery, and genetic/chromosomal abnormalities, demonstrating that under-nutrition is already a leading health problem at birth.

Little work has been done on amino acid effect on placental surface in Humans and laboratory animals. Few research focusing on intestinal absorption of amino acid during the period of birth to weaning.

Recently a study reported by Dr. YIN Yulong and Dr. KONG Xingfeng Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ISA),has illustrated the different results of suckling Huanjiang piglet that recovered from intra-uterine growth restriction and those with normal body weights after birth or at 7, 14 and 21 d of age. Comparison between the two groups illustrated that bo, +AT mRNA expression of NBW piglets was higher than that of IUGR piglets at birth, while theis difference was less significant from days 7-14.

Dr. YIN and Dr. KONG illustrated that the intestinal expression of bo, +AT in mRNA and protein is much higher at birth than in the suckling periods. Furthermore, piglets with IUGR were characterized by a markedly decreased expression of the amino acid transporter at birth, and a continued decrease both in protein and mRNA expressions in suckling periods. Plasma concentration of arginine and lysine were lower in some points if IUGR piglets and body weight at weaning is closely related with body weight at birth.

This study has a great importance to understand the molecular aspect of intra-uterine growth restriction in humans and experimental animals. Supplementation of arginine and lysine might have some role in IUGR.

This research article entitled “Ontogenic expression of the amino acid transporter b(0,+) AT in suckling Huanjiang piglets: effect of intra-uterine growth restriction”has been published in British Journal of Animal Nutrition and is online available at

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