家禽营养代谢失调导致脂肪代谢障碍（Fat metabolism disorder，FMD）的代谢性疾病一直是家禽业面临的严峻问题，胆碱在防治FMD中发挥重要作用，但其调控的分子机制尚不清楚。我们前期通过转录组研究发现，日粮胆碱水平显著影响PPARα/RXR信号通路上部分基因的mRNA表达量，提示胆碱可能通过该信号通路调控肉鸭脂质代谢。为了验证该假说，本项目拟进一步采用PPARα基因干扰技术，在细胞体外和肉鸭体内研究PPARα激活或者抑制下日粮胆碱水平对肉鸭生长性能、血液生化指标、肝脏组织及原代培养肝细胞中脂质含量、脂代谢酶活性及其PPARα信号通路基因mRNA表达和PPARα翻译蛋白表达水平的影响，以准确、深入揭示胆碱通过PPARα/RXR信号通路调控肉鸭脂质代谢的分子机制，对理解胆碱在家禽脂质代谢中的重要作用、降低家禽FMD发生率和促进家禽产业健康发展都具有十分重要的理论与现实指导意义。

Fat metabolism disorder (FMD) induced by nutrition disorders is always a severe problem in the poultry production. Choline plays an important role in prevention and cure of FMD, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Our previous studies of transcriptome indicated that different choline levels significantly affected the mRNA expression of some genes in PPARα signaling pathways, and it indicated choline may modulate meat ducks lipid metabolism by this signaling pathway. In order to verify the hypothesis, this project with PPARα interference technology will be conducted in vitro with hepatocytes and in vivo with ducks to investigate the effects of choline levels under PPARα activation or inhibition on the growth performance and blood biochemical indices in ducks and lipids content, activities of lipid metabolic enzymes, mRNA expression of genes in PPARα signaling pathway, and PPARα protein expression levels in liver tissues and primarily cultured hepatocytes of ducks. The objectives of the present project will be to accurately and deeply elucidate molecular mechanism of choline modulates meat ducks lipid metabolism by PPARα/RXR signaling pathway. The outcomes from this project will be of great scientific and practical significances for understanding the important role of choline in poultry lipid metabolism, reducing the incidence of poultry FMD, and promoting the healthy development of the poultry industry.