The Mangalica Pig is a Novel Biomedical Model for Human Obesity and its Metabolic Complications

Abstract

The Mangalica pig is a genetic model of excessive adiposity; therefore, this European heritage breed may serve as an applied model to improve pork quality in modern commercial lean breeds and as a biomedical model to study obesity-related disease in humans. First growth performance and phenotypic differences were compared between Mangalica breeds and the Yorkshire. Red Mangalica pigs exhibited the most intramuscular fat; moreover, the York x Red Mangalica progeny displayed significantly increased marbling score and lower cook loss compared to the purebred Yorkshire, suggesting Mangalica pigs exhibit superior meat quality and Red Mangalica could serve as a model for studying marbling. Since Mangalica pigs displayed an obese phenotype that was driven by excessive voluntary energy intake, the second study aimed to establish the Mangalica pig as a model for obesity-induced metabolic syndrome. Mangalica pigs spontaneously developed risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome: obesity, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, dyslipidemia, and low-grade chronic inflammation. Together, these data suggest the Mangalica pig represents a model that enhances biomedical and meat science research.