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Introduction Feeding pregnant broodmares with cereal concentrates has been shown to increase maternal insulin resistance and affect foal metabolism in the short and long-term. These effects are likely to be mediated by the placenta. Here, we investigated feto-placental biometry and placental structure and function at term in mares fed with or without cereals concentrates. Material and methods From 7 months of gestation, 22 multiparous mares were fed forage only (group F (n = 12)) or received forage and cracked barley (group B (n = 10)) until foaling. Foals and placentas were weighed and placental samples were collected above the umbilical cord insertion at birth. Placental histological structure was studied by stereology. A RNAseq analysis was performed on 9 placentas of each group. Enrichment of gene sets was analysed using the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) software using the KEGG and GO databases. Results No difference in feto-placental biometry was observed between groups. The volume of microcotyledonary vessels was decreased in B placentas and the vascular wall of allantoic arterioles was thickened. Gene sets involved in neutral amino acids, folate and anions transport and fatty acids, cholesterol and folate degradation were down-regulated while gene sets involved in RNA expression, inflammation and vascularisation were up-regulated in B placentas. Conclusion Feeding pregnant mares with concentrates from mid-gestation alters the placental function and structure as observed in other species in cases of maternal insulin resistance.

BACKGROUND Following embryo transfer (ET), the size and breed of the recipient mare can affect fetal development and subsequent post natal growth rate and insulin sensitivity in foals. OBJECTIVES To investigate placental adaptation in pregnancies where increased or restricted fetal growth was induced through ET between Pony, Saddlebred and Draught horses. STUDY DESIGN In vivo experiment. METHODS Control Pony (P, n = 21) and Saddlebred (S, n = 28) pregnancies were obtained by artificial insemination. Increased pregnancies were obtained by transferring Pony (P-D, n = 6) and Saddlebred (S-D, n = 8) embryos into Draught mares. Restricted pregnancies were obtained by transferring Saddlebred embryos into Pony mares (S-P, n = 6). Placental weight and surface were recorded and samples collected for stereology and analysis of expression of genes involved in placental growth, vascularisation and nutrient transport. Data were analysed by linear model. RESULTS S-P foals were growth retarded when compared with controls despite increased gestational length. Placental weight was reduced but placental surface density and volume fraction were increased. Placental expression of genes involved in growth and development and nutrient transfer was strongly reduced. In contrast, placental size and weight were increased in enhanced growth P-D and S-D foals. The trophoblastic surface density and the allantoic vessels surface density were decreased in P-D and S-D, respectively, both with very few modifications in gene expression. MAIN LIMITATIONS Control embryos were produced by artificial insemination whereas experimental embryos were produced by ET. CONCLUSIONS Placental structure and gene expression are modified after ET into a smaller or larger breed than that of the embryo. These adaptations contribute to the observed phenotype of foal growth restriction or enhanced growth at birth.

International audience; Ponies and sometimes draft horses are often used as experimental models for horses although size and metabolic parameters are known to vary between horse breeds. So far, there is little information about differences of placental structure and no information about differences of placental function between breeds. The aim of this study was to investigate differences in placental size, structure and function at birth in relation to foal size and weight in ponies, Saddlebred and draft horses. Pony, Saddlebred and draft horse pregnancies were obtained by artificial insemination over 2 successive breeding seasons. Foals and total fetal membranes (TFM) were weighed and placentas measured for surface area at term. Placentas were sampled above the umbilical cord insertion. Surface density and volume fraction of the different cellular components of the placenta were measured on histological sections using stereology. The expression of genes involved in growth and development, nutrient transfer and vascularization was compared between groups. Foals and TFM were lighter at birth in ponies than Saddlebred horses, and both were lighter compared to draft horses. The surface density and volume fraction of microcotyledonary vessels was increased in pony compared to Saddlebred placentas. The relative expression of genes involved in growth and development was different between breeds and increased with maternal, fetal and placental weight. Primiparous dams produced lighter foals and smaller placentas, associated with a decreased volume fraction of microcotyledonary vessels and genes involved in growth and development and vascularization. Foal sex had little effect on placental structure and function as the expression of only one gene differed according to sex, with EGFR expression being decreased in placentas of females compared to males. In conclusion, foal and placental weight, as well as placental expression of genes involved in growth and development were correlated with maternal size. Placental structure also differed between breeds, with a stronger difference between ponies and both breeds of horses.

Remerciements à l'Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation (IFCE); Developmental programming in equine species: relevance for the horse industry

International audience; The role of antenatal events on growth and predisposition to osteochondrosis (OC) was investigated in foals born to between-breed embryo transfers. Pony (P), saddlebred (S), and draft (D) horses were used. Control P-P (n = 21) and S-S (n = 28) pregnancies were obtained by artificial insemination. Enhanced and restricted pregnancies were obtained by transferring P or S embryos into D mares (P-D, n = 6 and S-D, n = 8) and S embryos into P mares (S-P, n = 6), respectively. Control and experimental foals were raised by their dams and recipient mothers, respectively, and weaned at age 6 months. Body measurements were recorded from birth to age 18 months. Osteochondrosis status was evaluated shortly after weaning and at age 18 months. Fetal growth was enhanced in P-D foals with overgrowth of most body segments until age 18 months. Fetal growth was restricted in S-P foals compared with S-D foals. Body weight, shoulder, and hip width of S-P foals grew slower before weaning but subsequently caught up after weaning. Other segments did not catch up, resulting in reduced body weight and withers' height in S-P compared with S-D foals at age 18 months. The relative risk of developing OC was increased in restricted S-P foals compared with S-S and S-D foals shortly after weaning where all S-P foals were OC positive. Only two S-P foals were still OC positive at age 18 months. These data confirm the impact of the intrauterine environment on growth, skeletal health, and possibly athletic capacities of horses.

Le fichier annexe contient une correction : The term "nutritional offer" appears incorrectly throughout the paper. The correct term should be "nutritional intake."Fig 1 and its caption appear incorrectly in the published article. Please see the correct Fig 1 and its caption below.; In stud management, broodmares are commonly fed concentrates in late pregnancy. This practice, however, was shown to correlate with an increased incidence of osteochondrosis in foals, which may be related to insulin sensitivity. We hypothesized that supplementation of the mare with barley in the last trimester of pregnancy alters the pre-weaning foal growth, glucose metabolism and osteoarticular status. Here, pregnant multiparous saddlebred mares were fed forage only (group F, n=13) or both forage and cracked barley (group B, n=12) from the 7th month of pregnancy until term, as calculated to cover nutritional needs of broodmares. Diets were given in two daily meals. All mares and foals returned to pasture after parturition. Post-natal growth, glucose metabolism and osteoarticular status were investigated in pre-weaning foals. B mares maintained an optimal body condition score (>3.5), whereas that of F mares decreased and remained low (

Members of COST Action FA0702 GEMINI "Maternal interaction with gametes and embryo", "FA1201 EPICONCEPT "Epigenetics and periconception environment", and BM 1308 SALAAM " Sharing advances on large animal models"; International audience; The study of early developmental conditioning of health and disease in adulthood is particularly relevant in the horse, which is bred mainly to perform in demanding sport challenges. On the basis of this concept, the management of the broodmare could be considered an effective means to produce animals with the desired features. Knowledge on the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease in the equine species remains relatively scarce, with some experimental studies and one single epidemiologic study. Data highlight the determinant role of the maternal environment for postnatal body conformation, immune response, energy homeostasis, osteoarticular status and thyroidal, adrenocortical, and cardiovascular functions of the foal. Most research, however, focuses on the first months/years after birth. Long-term effects on the adult horse phenotype have not been investigated so far.

International audience

National audience; The risk of developing non-transmittable diseases such as diabetes, obesity or the metabolic syndrome, but also other non-transmittable illnesses is partly linked to maternal environment during pregnancy such as maternal nutrition, stress, pollution…. This is the basis of the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD). These epidemiological observations have been verified in laboratory animals but they are also very relevant to farm animals, and in particular horse breeding. The article summarizes current knowledge about fetal programming in the horse and introduces the results of the first years of study in the FOETALIM program.; On sait chez l'homme que les risques de développer des maladies métaboliques (diabète, obésité, syndrome métabolique) mais aussi d'autres affections non transmissibles sont en partie liés à l'environnement maternel (nutrition, stress, pollution...) durant la grossesse. On parle ainsi d'origines développementales de la santé et des maladies. Ces constatations épidémiologiques sont vérifiées chez les animaux de laboratoire mais peuvent aussi avoir des conséquences importantes dans le cadre de l'élevage du cheval. Cet article fait une synthèse de la littérature disponible dans ce domaine et présente le projet FOETALIM ainsi que les résultats des premières années d'étude.

Recent data obtained in our laboratory suggest that feeding pregnant broodmares with cereal concentrates may affect both mare and foal metabolism in the short and long term. Here, we investigated feto-placental biometry and placental function at term in mares fed with cereals and forage or forage only. Twenty-two multiparous mares inseminated with the same stallion were allocated to 1 of 2 groups from 7 months of gestation: group F (n = 10) were fed forage only, whereas group B (n = 12) received forage and cracked barley until foaling. At 3 and 9 months of gestation, a glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) was performed to evaluate the insulin resistance of pregnant mares. At birth, placentas and foals were weighed and measured. Placental samples were collected above the umbilical cord insertion and snap frozen. An RNA sequencing (RNAseq) analysis was performed on 9 placentas of each group. After normalization, gene levels were analysed using the DESEqn 2 package of R software (https://www.r-project.org/). Enrichment of gene sets was analysed using the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) software using the Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology [GO, biological processes (bp), molecular function (mf) and cellular components (cc)] databases. Gene analysis statistical results were considered significant for P-values

WOS:000393538500020; International audience; Embryo transfer between breeds of different sizes impacts fetal growth in horses. We have shown that it elicits various postnatal adaptations in terms of growth and glucose metabolism until weaning. Postweaning effects remain to be described. Pony (P), saddlebred (S), and draft (D) horses were used. Control Pony-in-Pony (P-P; n = 21) and Saddlebred-in-Saddlebred (S-S; n = 28) pregnancies were obtained by artificial insemination. Enhanced and restricted pregnancies were obtained by transferring P or S embryos into D mares (Pony-in-Draft [P-D], n = 6 and Saddlebred-in-Draft [S-D], n = 8) and S embryos into P mares (Saddlebred-in-Pony n = 6), respectively. Control and experimental foals were raised by their dams and recipient mothers, respectively and weaned on day 180. Weight gain, growth hormones, and glucose metabolism were investigated in foals between days 180 and 540. Pony-in-Draft (P-D) remained heavier than P-P on days 180, 360, and 540, with lower glucose and higher non-esterified fatty-acids on days 180, 360, and 540 and higher T-3 on day 180. Insulin sensitivity was similar between pony groups on days 200 and 540. S-P were lighter than S-D on day 180 but caught up by day 540. S-P had higher glucose than S-D on days 180, 360, and 540, as well as lower non-esterified fatty acids and higher T3 on day 180. Insulin sensitivity was higher in S-P than in S-D on day 200. No difference was observed between saddlebred groups thereafter. In conclusion, in horses, fetal growth is determinant for postnatal metabolism, especially for energy availability. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The senior population has a high risk of iatrogenic incident related to drug intake and poly-medication. During this study, an evaluation was conducted to improve the professional's best practices for digital prescription to seniors in long-term geriatric care facilities. In order to evaluate the quality gains of the prescriptions' practices, nine clinical indicators were determined and analyzed during two audits realized seven months apart. Resulting pharmaceutical recommendations aimed at doctors have been reviewed jointly during post-audit workshops in order to ensure clinical relevance. As a result of this study, a best practices guide of medical prescriptions to seniors "drugs to promote and potentially inappropriate drugs" was published to draw attention of the doctors on this topic.; Les personnes âgées sont une population à fort risque de survenue d'évènements iatrogènes liés à la prise de médicaments et à la polymédication. Lors de cette étude, une évaluation visant à améliorer les pratiques professionnelles des prescriptions informatisées des personnes âgées dans les services de long séjour gériatrique (EHPAD et USLD) a été accomplie. Afin d'évaluer la progression de la qualité de la prise en charge médicamenteuse, neuf indicateurs de pratique clinique ont été déterminés et analysés lors de deux audits réalisés à sept mois d’intervalle. Les opinions pharmaceutiques émises à destination des médecins après chaque audit ont été conjointement évaluées lors de réunions de concertation afin de s’assurer de leur pertinence clinique. À la suite de cette étude, un guide d'aide à la prescription chez la personne âgée « médicaments à privilégier et médicaments potentiellement inappropriés » a été publié afin de sensibiliser les médecins à la prise en charge médicamenteuse des sujets âgés.