How a bad chemical hurts baby chicken hearts and what can help
The role of PPAR alpha in perfluorooctanoic acid induced developmental cardiotoxicity and l-carnitine mediated protection-Results of in ovo gene silencing.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
l-carnitine still protects the heart even when PPAR alpha is turned off
Many assume protective effects of compounds like l-carnitine work through known pathways like PPAR alpha — but here, the protection works independently, which challenges that assumption.
Practical Takeaways
l-carnitine may have protective effects against certain environmental toxin-induced heart issues, based on animal model evidence.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Surprising Findings
l-carnitine still protects the heart even when PPAR alpha is turned off
Many assume protective effects of compounds like l-carnitine work through known pathways like PPAR alpha — but here, the protection works independently, which challenges that assumption.
Practical Takeaways
l-carnitine may have protective effects against certain environmental toxin-induced heart issues, based on animal model evidence.
Publication
Journal
Environmental toxicology and pharmacology
Year
2017
Authors
Meng Zhao, Qixiao Jiang, Min Geng, Li Zhu, Yunqiu Xia, Aashish Khanal, Chunbo Wang
Related Content
Claims (5)
When baby chickens in eggs are exposed to a chemical called PFOA, turning off a gene called PPAR alpha makes their heart's right wall thicker than in those with the gene still working — suggesting this gene helps protect the heart from damage caused by the chemical.
Giving l-carnitine to chicken eggs exposed to a harmful chemical helps protect the baby chick's heart, even when a specific gene (PPAR alpha) is turned off — meaning the protection doesn’t rely on that gene.
Giving chicken eggs a certain amount of a chemical called PFOA leads to heart problems in the baby chickens, like a faster heartbeat and thinner heart walls when they hatch.
In baby chickens still in the egg, turning off a gene called PPAR alpha doesn't stop a chemical (PFOA) from speeding up the heart. That means the chemical is affecting the heart through a different route.
C8, a type of chemical, sticks to certain receptors in the body and messes with hormone signals and how genes control hormone production, which can cause hormone problems.