Effect of finishing period length with α-tocopherol supplementation on the expression of vitamin E-related genes in the muscle and subcutaneous fat of light lambs

•Different finishing period lengths with α-tocopherol supplementation were studied.•Genes related to vitamin E metabolism in 2 tissues were studied.•ABCA1, LPL, APOE, and SREBP1 are significantly regulated in muscle.•ABCA1, SCARB1, LPL, PPARA, and PPARG are significantly regulated in fat.•The expression of most of the genes showed a short-term α-tocopherol effect.

The aim of this study was to investigate how different finishing period lengths with α-tocopherol supplementation or alfalfa grazing affect mRNA expression levels of genes related to vitamin E metabolism in L. thoracis (LT) muscle and subcutaneous fat (SF) from lambs of the Rasa Aragonesa breed. Indoors, concentrate-fed light lambs (n = 48) were supplemented with 500 dl-α-tocopheryl acetate/kg concentrate for an average finishing period length of 0 (C), 10.7 (VE10d), 21.2 (VE20d) and, 32.3 (VE30d) days before slaughtering. Simultaneously, 8 lambs with their dams were alfalfa-grazed. The α-tocopherol affected in a short-term the expression of genes in LT muscle (ABCA1, LPL, APOE, and SREBP1) and SF (ABCA1, SCARB1, LPL, and PPARG). On the contrary, PPARA gene expression showed a long-term α-tocopherol effect because the highest levels of PPARA mRNA were found in the VE30d.