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Oleoylethanolamide is a well-recognized anorectic compound which also has noteworthy effects on food-reward, influencing the acetylcholine (ACh)/dopamine (DA) balance in the cholinergic system. After its administration, oleoylethanolamide is quickly degraded into oleic acid and ethanolamine. The effect of oleic acid on the gut-brain axis has been extensively investigated, whereas ethanolamine has received scarce attention. However, there is scattered evidence from old and recent research that has underlined the influence of ethanolamine on the cholinergic system. In the present article, we propose a model by which the released ethanolamine contributes to the overall balance between DA and ACh after oleoylethanolamide administration., (© 2019 American Society for Nutrition.)

The interplay between the colonic microbiota and gut epithelial and immune cells during the neonatal period, which establishes the structure of the microbiota and programs mucosal immunity, is affected by the diet. We hypothesized that protein-enriched milk formula would disturb this interplay through greater flux of protein entering the colon, with consequences later in life. Piglets were fed from postnatal day (PND) 2 to 28 either a normal-protein formula (NP; 51 g protein/L) or high-protein formula (HP; 77 g protein/L) and weaned at PND28, when they received standard diets until PND160. HP feeding transiently increased the quantity of protein entering the colon (PND7) but did not change the microbiota composition at PND28, except for a higher production of branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) in an in vitro fermentation test (P < 0.05). HP piglets had greater colonic mucosa densities of cluster of differentiation (CD) 3(+) and CD172(+) cells and lower Il-1β and Tnfα mRNA levels at PND28 (P < 0.05). Later in life (PND160), HP females, but not males, had a higher increase in colonic permeability after ex vivo oxidative stress and higher cytokine secretion in response to lipopolysaccharide in colonic explant cultures than NP females (P < 0.05). HP females also had lower colonic amounts of F. prausnitzii and BCFAs (P < 0.05). BCFAs displayed a dose-dependent protection against inflammation-induced alteration of barrier function in Caco-2 cells (P < 0.05). In conclusion, protein-enriched formula had little impact on colonic microbiota, but it modified colonic immune cell development and had a long-term effect on adult colonic mucosa sensitivity to inflammatory insults, probably through microbiotal and hormonal factors.

Dairy propionibacteria display probiotic properties which require high populations of live and metabolically active propionibacteria in the colon. In this context, the probiotic vector determines probiotic efficiency. Fermented dairy products protect propionibacteria against digestive stresses and generally contain a complex mixture of lactic and propionic acid bacteria. This does not allow the identification of dairy propionibacteria specific beneficial effects. The aim of this study was to develop a dairy product exclusively fermented by dairy propionibacteria. As they grow poorly in milk, we determined their nutritional requirements concerning carbon and nitrogen by supplementing milk ultrafiltrate (UF) with different concentrations of lactate and casein hydrolysate. Milk or UF supplemented with 50 mM lactate and 5 g L(-1) casein hydrolysate allowed growth of all dairy propionibacteria studied. In these new fermented dairy products, dairy propionibacteria remained viable and stress-tolerant in vitro during minimum 15 days at 4 °C. The efficiency of milk fermented by the most tolerant Propionibacterium freudenreichii strain was evaluated in piglets. Viability and SCFA content in the colon evidenced survival and metabolic activity of P. freudenreichii. This work results in the design of a new food grade vector, which will allow preclinical and clinical trials., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Fumonisin B(1) (FB1) alters intestinal epithelial cell cycle and absorptive, secretory, and barrier properties in vitro, but in vivo data are lacking. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that repeated intake of a corn culture extract rich in fumonisins, mainly in FB1, alters indices of intestinal absorptive and secretory physiology and barrier function in vivo. Intra-litter pairs of pigs (n = 36) weaned at 28 d, were fed the vehicle (control) or the extract (providing 1.5 mg FB1/kg body weight) daily for 9 d starting 7 d postweaning. After slaughter, the jejunal mucosa of pigs was mounted in Ussing chambers (UC). Extract consumption for 9 d decreased the gain:feed ratio (P = 0.04) and increased liver weight (P = 0.01). Basal net ion secretion (P = 0.02), sodium-dependent glucose absorption (P = 0.02), and theophylline-induced secretion (P < 0.01) of the jejunal mucosa determined in UC were higher in pigs fed the extract than in controls. By contrast, jejunal permeability to the horseradish peroxidase model protein in UC was not influenced by extract consumption. Ileal villi tended to be longer (P = 0.07) and jejunal aminopeptidase N activity was lower (P < 0.01) in pigs fed the extract. In conclusion, consumption of an extract rich in fumonisins for 9 d has the potential to alter intestinal physiology, villous architecture, and enzyme activities. Underlying mechanisms remain to be investigated.

In this study, we investigated the effect of supplementation of the maternal diet with linseed oil [rich in 18:3(n-3)] on fatty acid composition, mucosal architecture, and mast cell regulation of barrier function in piglet ileum. Sixteen sows were fed a lard (LAR)- or a linseed oil (LSO)-based diet during gestation and lactation. Fatty acid composition of maternal RBC at parturition and of milk at d 14 of lactation were determined. Fatty acid composition, villous-crypt structure, and permeability to horseradish peroxidase in Ussing chambers after mast cell degranulation were determined in the ileum of piglets at d 0, 7, and 28. At d 0, 18:3(n-3) and 20:5(n-3) levels were higher, but 22:6(n-3) and 20:4(n-6) levels were lower in both maternal RBC and piglet ileum of the LSO group. Levels of 18:3(n-3) were also higher in the milk of LSO sows. Levels of 18:3(n-3) were higher in LSO piglet ileum at d 7 and 28. Moreover, at d 28, 20:4(n-6) ileal levels tended (P = 0.09) to be lower in LSO than in LAR piglets, in parallel with a lower mRNA expression of Delta5 desaturase. LSO piglets had shorter villi at d 0 and shorter crypts at d 7 compared with LAR piglets. The effect of mast cell degranulation on ileal permeability decreased with age in both groups but reached a minimum sooner in the LSO group (d 7) than in the LAR group (d 28). In conclusion, linseed oil supplementation of the maternal diet profoundly modifies the fatty acid composition, structure, and physiology of the offspring ileum.

This study investigated intestinal physiology of piglets at weaning. Piglets (n = 60) weaned at 21 d were food deprived for 2 d and then tube-fed using 2 different diets (a conventional diet vs. a wheat-enriched diet). They were slaughtered at d 0, 2, 5, 8, or 15 postweaning. Jejunum, ileum, and colon were mounted in Ussing chambers. In addition, segments of the proximal jejunum of 4 growing pigs were studied 35 d after weaning. Secretory function was assessed by basal short-circuit current (Isc) and secretagogue-stimulated Isc. Glucose absorption was measured by the increase in Isc after the addition of glucose. Epithelial barrier function was measured by transmucosal resistance (R) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) fluxes across the epithelium. There were no significant differences between the pigs fed the 2 diets for any of the parameters studied. As already reported, a transient villous atrophy was observed. At the same time, we observed an increased basal Isc in jejunum and colon, increased glucose absorption and a dramatic drop of R in jejunum. These parameters had returned to preweaning values by d 5. Weaning was also followed by long-lasting modifications. In jejunum, responses to the secretagogues and glucose absorption were decreased at wk 2 after weaning and were not different between d 15 and 35. Ileal transmucosal resistance increased on d 5 and was stable thereafter. HRP flux in jejunum declined on d 2 and stayed at this low level throughout the experiment. We conclude that weaning induces transient dramatic changes in intestinal physiology but is also a period of maturation of the intestine.