Integrated Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analysis of Omentin-1 Effects on Primary Anterior Pituitary Cells From Different Pig Breeds: An In Vitro Study

Abstract

Omentin-1 (OMNT1) is a metabolically active adipokine implicated in endocrine regulation; however, its role in the anterior pituitary (AP) remains unknown. We hypothesized that OMNT1 modulates the endocrine function of AP cells through gene- and protein-level mechanisms, with effects depending on the animal's metabolic background. To investigate this hypothesis, AP cells isolated from two pig breeds with distinct metabolic profiles, Large White (LW; normal weight) and Meishan (MS; genetically obese), were treated with OMNT1. Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were performed alongside assessments of hormone expression and secretion. Transcriptomic profiling revealed 13 310 and 13 272 expressed genes in LW and MS pigs, respectively. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) analysis revealed 655 DEGs in LW pigs and 420 in MS pigs. Integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses revealed that OMNT1 modulates pathways involved in cellular signaling, cytoskeleton dynamics, responses to stimuli, intracellular protein transport, and post-translational modifications. We further examined the mRNA expression and secretion of tropic hormones (GH, PRL, TSH, ACTH, LH, and FSH) and selected adipokines (adiponectin, leptin, chemerin, apelin, visfatin, resistin, and vaspin), along with their specific receptors. OMNT1 increased LH secretion and decreased FSH levels in a breed-dependent manner. Additionally, in MS pigs, OMNT1 reduced adiponectin and increased leptin secretion. These findings highlight the role of OMNT1 as a key modulator of pituitary endocrine activity, integrating metabolic signals through breed-specific molecular responses at the transcriptional, proteomic, and functional levels.