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This study was aimed to explore the effects of dietary plant essential oil (PEO) supplementation on growth performance and meat quality in finishing pigs. A total of eighteen Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire finishing barrows with an average initial body weight of 79.86 ± 1.94 kg were randomly assigned to CON group (fed with a basal diet) and PEO group (fed with the basal diet containing 200 mg/kg PEO) with 9 replicates per treatment. The trial lasted for 42 days. The results showed that dietary PEO supplementation significantly increased ADG during phase I (1-21 days) and the overall experimental period (p 0.05), tended to increase ADFI in phase II (22-42 days) and the overall experimental period (p = 0.09), decreased F/G in phase I (p 0.05) and tended to decrease F/G during the overall experimental period (p = 0.08). Meanwhile, compared to the CON group, the digestibility of DM, GE and EE in the PEO group was improved remarkably (p 0.05). PEO supplementation also significantly improved T-AOC and lowered MDA content in longissimus dorsi (p 0.05), tended to increase the activity of T-SOD (p = 0.06). A higher IMF content (p = 0.09) and a lower shear force (p = 0.08) of longissimus dorsi were found in the PEO group than that in CON group (p = 0.09). Furthermore, pigs fed the PEO diet showed higher mRNA abundances of GLUT4, LPL, CPT-1, CD36, FABP and LDL-R in the liver, and GLUT4 and FAS in the longissimus dorsi (p 0.05). In conclusion, PEO fed to finishing pigs improved the growth performance and nutrient digestibility. Furthermore, PEO supplementation had the potential role to improve pork quality by increasing the antioxidant capacity and IMF content, and decreasing the shear force of longissimus dorsi to a certain extent.

Sialyllactose (SL), one of the most abundant oligosaccharides present in porcine breast milk, has been implicated in many biological functions, including the prebiotic and immune-modulating effects. This study was conducted to investigate the influences of dietary SL supplementation on intestinal barrier functions exposure to enterotoxigenic

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection causes watery diarrhea and vomiting in piglets. The pathogenesis of PEDV infection is related to intestinal inflammation. It is known that 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D

The difference in microbiota was examined for breeders with different egg-laying rates, and the impact of dietary Enterococcus faecium (EF) was also determined in the present study. A total of 256 Arbor Acres broiler breeders (48-wk-old) were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design, which encompassed 2 egg-laying rate levels [average (average egg laying: AP, 80.45 ± 0.91%) and low (lower egg laying: LP, 70.61 ± 1.16%)] and 2 different dietary groups [control (no additive), 6 × 108 cfu/kg EF]. The results showed that the AP breeders presented a lower egg weight, feed conversion ratio, abdominal fat rate, and serum leptin level (P(laying) ≤ 0.05) as well as a higher egg-laying rate (P(laying)

Cancer seriously impairs human health and survival. Many perturbations, such as increased oxidative stress, pathogen infection, and inflammation, promote the accumulation of DNA mutations, and ultimately lead to carcinogenesis. Tea is one of the most highly consumed beverages worldwide and has been linked to improvements in human health. Tea contains many active components, including tea polyphenols, tea polysaccharides, L-theanine, tea pigments, and caffeine among other common components. Several studies have identified components in tea that can directly or indirectly reduce carcinogenesis with some being used in a clinical setting. Many previous studies, in vitro and in vivo, have focused on the mechanisms that functional components of tea utilized to protect against cancer. One particular mechanism that has been well described is an improvement in antioxidant capacity seen with tea consumption. However, other mechanisms, including anti-pathogen, anti-inflammation and alterations in cell survival pathways, are also involved. The current review focuses on these anti-cancer mechanisms. This will be beneficial for clinical utilization of tea components in preventing and treating cancer in the future.

Increasing evidence supports the ability of eugenol to maintain intestinal barrier integrity and anti-inflammatory in vitro and in vivo; however, whether eugenol alleviates virus-mediated intestinal barrier damage and inflammation remains a mystery. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), a coronavirus, is one of the main causative agents of diarrhea in piglets and significantly impacts the global swine industry. Here, we found that eugenol could alleviate TGEV-induced intestinal functional impairment and inflammatory responses in piglets. Our results indicated that eugenol improved feed efficiency in TGEV-infected piglets. Eugenol not only increased serum immunoglobulin concentration (IgG) but also significantly decreased serum inflammatory cytokine concentration (TNF-α) in TGEV-infected piglets. In addition, eugenol also significantly decreased the expression of NF-κB mRNA and the phosphorylation level of NF-κB P65 protein in the jejunum mucosa of TGEV-infected piglets. Eugenol increased villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum, and decreased serum D-lactic acid levels. Importantly, eugenol increased tight junction protein (ZO-1) and mRNA expression levels of nutrient transporter-related genes (GluT-2 and CaT-1) in the jejunum mucosa of TGEV-infected piglets. Meanwhile, compared with TGEV-infected IPEC-J2 cells, treatment with eugenol reduced the cell cytopathic effect, attenuated the inflammatory response. Interestingly, eugenol did not increase the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin in IPEC-J2 cells. However, western blot and immunofluorescence results showed that eugenol restored TGEV-induced down-regulation of ZO-1 and Occludin, while BAY11-7082 (The NF-κB specific inhibitor) enhanced the regulatory ability of eugenol. Our findings demonstrated that eugenol attenuated TGEV-induced intestinal injury by increasing the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin, which may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB signaling pathway. Eugenol may offer some therapeutic opportunities for coronavirus-related diseases.

Early weaning-induced stress causes diarrhoea, thereby reducing the growth performance of piglets. Gut bacterial dysbiosis has emerged as a leading cause of post-weaning diarrhoea. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of capsulized faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the gut bacterial community, immune response and gut barrier function of piglets. Thirty-two weaned barrows were randomly divided into two groups. The recipient group was inoculated orally with capsulized faecal microbiota of healthy Tibetan pigs during the whole period of the trial, while the control group was given an empty capsule. The feed-to-gain ratio, diarrhoea ratio, and histological damage score of recipient piglets were significantly decreased. FMT treatment significantly increased the colon length of piglets. Furthermore, the relative abundances of Firmicutes, Euryarchaeota, Tenericutes, Lactobacillus, and Methanobrevibacter in the colon of recipient piglets were increased, and the relative abundances of Campylobacter and Proteobacteria were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group. CD4+ lymphocytes and CD4+/CD8+ ratio in the peripheral blood of recipient piglets were significantly increased. FMT treatment increased the IL-4 and IL-10 levels and decreased the TNF-α and INF-γ levels in the colonic tissue of piglets. The recipient piglets’ mRNA expression of TLR2, TLR8, NF-κB, and iNOS was significantly regulated. In addition, FMT significantly enhanced the gene expression of ZO-1. Overall, treatment with capsulized FMT ameliorated diarrhoea in piglets, with significant effects on limiting colon inflammatory responses, downregulating the TLR signalling pathway and the gene expression of iNOS, and strengthening intestinal barrier function by modulating the constituents of the gut microbiota.

To explore the effect of selenium-enriched yeast (SeY) on intestinal barrier functions in weaned pigs upon oxidative stress, a 2×2 factorial design was utilized and thirty-two pigs were randomly assigned into four groups. Pigs with or without exposure to oxidative stress (diquat challenge) were fed with a basal diet or a SeY-containing diet. The trial lasted for 21 days, and result showed that SeY supplementation attenuated body-weight reduction and significantly decreased the serum concentrations of diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactic acid in pigs upon diquat challenge (P<0.05). Diquat challenge decreased the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (V/C) in the jejunum and ileum (P<0.05). However, SeY supplementation not only elevated the villus height and the ratio of V/C (P<0.05) but also improved the distribution and abundance of tight-junction protein ZO-1 in the jejunum epithelium. Interestingly, SeY supplementation acutely decreased the total apoptosis rate of intestinal epithelial cells in pigs upon diquat challenge (P<0.05). Moreover, SeY elevated the content of antioxidant molecules such as glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and catalase (CAT) but significantly decreased the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the intestinal mucosa (P<0.05). Importantly, SeY elevated the expression levels of critical functional genes such as the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), sodium/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1), and B-cell lymphoma-2 (BCL-2) in the intestinal mucosa upon diquat challenge (P<0.05). Moreover, the expression of caspase-3 was downregulated by SeY in the duodenum and jejunum mucosa (P<0.05). These results indicated that SeY attenuated oxidative stress-induced intestinal mucosa disruption, which was associated with elevated mucosal antioxidative capacity and improved intestinal barrier functions.

This study was conducted to determine the effects of 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3) on performance, egg quality, tibia quality, and serum hormones concentration in laying hens reared under high stocking density. A total of 800 45-week-old Lohmann laying hens were randomly allotted into a 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 levels of dietary 25-OH-D3 levels (0 and 69 μg/kg) and 2 rates of stocking densities [506 (low density) and 338 (high density) cm2/hen]. Laying hens were monitored for 16 wk. High stocking density decreased laying rate, egg weight, and feed intake compared with low stocking density (P < 0.01) during 1 to 8 wk and 1 to 16 wk. Overall, high stocking density increased eggshell lightness value and decreased shell redness and yellowness value, strength, thickness, and relative weight compared with low stocking density (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 25-OH-D3 reduced the value of the eggshell lightness and increased its yellowness and eggshells weight (P ≤ 0.05). The increase in eggshell thickness was more pronounced when 25-OH-D3 was supplemented to layers under high stocking density (interaction, P < 0.05). Layers under high stocking density had lower ash content and calcium content in the tibia than layers under low stocking density (P = 0.04); dietary 25-OH-D3 increased tibia strength compared with no addition (P = 0.05). Layers under high stocking density had higher serum concentrations of 25-OH-D3, corticosterone (CORT), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and osteocalcin (OC; P < 0.05), lower content of parathyroid hormone (PTH) compared with layers under low stocking density (P < 0.01). Dietary 25-OH-D3 increased serum concentration of 25-OH-D3, carbonic anhydrase (CA), and calcitonin (CT) (P < 0.01) and reduced corticosterone, lipopolysaccharide and osteocalcin concentration (P ≤ 0.05). The increase effect in PTH was more pronounced when 25-OH-D3 was supplemented to layers under high stocking density (interaction, P = 0.05). Overall, the results gathered in this study indicate that high stocking density result in reducing production performance, shell color and quality, and tibia health, whereas dietary 25-OH-D3 was able to maintain tibia health and to mitigate the negative impact of high stocking density on productive performance.

Summary Despite their important roles in host nutrition and metabolism, and potential to cause disease, our knowledge of the fungal community in the mammalian gut is quite limited. To date, diversity and composition of fungi in swine gut still remains unknown. Therefore, the first internal transcribed spacer of fungi in faecal samples from three breeds of pigs (10 pigs for each breed) was sequenced based on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform, and the relationship between the fungal community and the concentrations of main short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) was also analysed. Results indicated that Chenghua (local, higher body fat rate), Yorkshire (foreign, higher lean meat and growth rate) and Tibetan (plateau, stronger disease resistance) pigs harboured distinct fungal community. The Basidiomycota and Ascomycota presented as the two predominant phyla, with Loreleia, Russula and Candida as the top three genera in all samples. Network analysis revealed a total of 35 correlations among different fungal genera, with 27 (77.14%) positive and 8 (22.86%) negative pairwise interactions. Canonical correspondence analysis suggested that fungi in the faeces of pigs were more correlated to the concentration of acetate and butyrate rather than propionate. Spearman’s correlation further showed that Tomentella was positively correlated to both acetate and butyrate, and Loreleia was positively correlated to propionate (P, Results of the current study indicateed that Chenghua (local, higher body fat rate), Yorkshire (foreign, higher lean meat and growth rate) and Tibetan (plateau, stronger disease resistance) pigs harbored distinct fungal community. The Basidiomycota and Ascomycota presented as the two predominant phyla, with Loreleia, Russula and Candida as the top three genera in all samples. Fungi in the feces of pigs were more correlated to the concentration of acetate and butyrate rather than propionate. Of those fungal genera, Tomentella was positively correlated to both acetate and butyrate, and Loreleia was positively correlated to propionate, while Nephroma and Taiwano fungus were negatively correlated to acetate and propionate. These findings expanded our knowledge on the intestinal fungi in pigs with different genotypes and phenotypes, indicating that fungi may play an indispensable role during the metabolism of host and the maintenance of intestinal health. The cross‐feeding between fungi and other microorganisms may be crucial during the digestion of dietary carbohydrates and the associated physiological processes, which is worthy to be further studied.

In sharp contrast to the numerous studies on bacteria, very little is known about the fungal community in mammalian gut. Recent studies on human and mice highlighted the importance of "mycobiota" in the metabolism and gut health of host, but our knowledge on the fungal composition and distribution in swine gut is very limited. In the current study, the fungal community in the caecal and colonic digesta from five weaned piglets was analysed based on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 region, and its relationship with the concentration of short-chain fatty acids was also investigated. Results revealed that the fungal profile in the caecal and colonic digesta of the piglets was distinct, and the caecal fungal diversity was significantly higher (p < .05). Basidiomycota and Ascomycota were the two predominant fungal phyla in the caecum and colon of the piglets. Comparing with that in colon, the abundance of Saccharomycopsis, Wallemia and Mrakia showed significantly higher (p < .05), and the abundance of Scheffersomyces, Aspergillus, Penicillium and Mucor was significantly lower in the caecum (p < .05). Canonical correspondence analysis showed a correlation between the fungal community and the concentration of isobutyrate, isovalerate, propionate and acetate in the digesta samples. Spearman's correlation indicated that the low-abundance genera, Fusarium, Plectosphaerella and Metarhizium, were positively correlated with of isobutyrate (p < .05), while Xeromyces were negatively correlated with acetate (p < .05), and Cornuvesica was negatively correlated with both acetate and propionate (p < .05). Results illuminated a probable interaction between the fungal composition and the bacterial degradation of protein and complex carbohydrates in the diet. These findings would be helpful to enhance our understanding of fungi in swine gut and provide a foundation for future work on the function of mycobiota in pigs.

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of dietary starch structure (amylose/amylopectin ratio, AR) on intestinal health of weaned pigs by determining the intestinal morphology, barrier functions, epithelium apoptosis and digestive enzymes. A total of one hundred and eight pigs (initial body weight 7.51 ± 0.05 kg) were randomly allotted on the basis of their body weight (BW) and litters to one of the six experimental diet treatments with six replicates per treatment and three pigs per replicate. The six diets included a control (corn-soybean meal basal diet, CON) diet and five experimental diets with AR being 2.90, 1.46, 0.68, 0.31 and 0.14, respectively. The diets and water were provided ad libitum for 21 d. Results showed that pigs fed CON and AR 2.90 diets had higher (P < 0.05) villus height and ratio of villus height : crypt depth in the jejunum and ileum compared with the other four starch groups. Pigs of CON and AR 0.14 groups had greater (P < 0.05) activities of sucrase (SA) and maltase (MA) than the pigs of other groups. Additionally, compared with the high amylopectin (AR 0.31 and 0.14) groups, the total apoptotic percentage was significantly decreased in (P < 0.01) CON and high amylose (AR 2.90) groups. Ingestion of CON and high amylose diets upregulated (P < 0.05) the levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and occludin (OCLN) gene expression in duodenum and jejunum. However, no significant differences in the level of zonula occludens 1 (ZO-1) gene expression were observed in pigs fed with different AR diets. Interestingly, CON and high amylose groups enhanced the localization of ZO-1 protein in apical intercellular region of jejunal epithelium. Together, these results suggest that diets with high amylose can influence the intestinal health of young pigs by improving their intestinal barrier functions and reducing the epithelial cell apoptosis.

Short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are produced when indigestible carbohydrates, such as fiber and resistant starch, undergo fermentation by specific microbiota in the hindgut. This study was designed to investigate the effects of different SCFAs on the glucolipid metabolism and appetite regulation of pigs. In a 28-day experiment, 30 barrows were divided into five groups: (1) control, (2) 0.1% sodium acetate, (3) 0.1% sodium propionate, (4) 0.1% sodium butyrate, and (5) 0.1% mixed sodium SCFAs (in the ratio of 3 : 1 : 1, respectively). Acetate administration reduced the average daily feed intake and average daily body weight gain of pigs (P < 0.05), decreased serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c) concentrations (P < 0.05), increased serum glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY) and leptin concentrations (P < 0.05), down-regulated fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP-1c) mRNA expressions in the liver (P < 0.05), enhanced silent information regulator1 (SIRT1) mRNA expression in the longissimus dorsi (P < 0.05), and up-regulated free fatty acids receptor 2 (FFAR2) and PYY mRNA expressions in the colon (P < 0.05). Propionate administration also decreased serum TG, TC, and LDL-c concentrations (P < 0.05), increased serum GLP-1, PYY and leptin concentrations (P < 0.05), down-regulated glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC) mRNA expression in the liver (P < 0.05), enhanced PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) mRNA expression in the liver (P < 0.05), stimulated SIRT1 mRNA expression in the longissimus dorsi (P < 0.05), and up-regulated G6PC and glucagon mRNA expressions in the colon (P < 0.05). Butyrate administration down-regulated G6PC mRNA expression in the liver (P < 0.05), enhanced PGC-1α mRNA expression in the liver (P < 0.05), and increased lipase hormone-sensitive (LIPE) and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1α (CPT-1α) mRNA expressions in the longissimus dorsi (P < 0.05). Overall, these results suggested that SCFAs could reduce lipogenesis, and enhance lipolysis in different tissues of pigs via regulating related hormones and genes, which would further illustrate the mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of SCFAs on appetite and body weight control.

Resveratrol (RV) is associated with protection against oxidative stress to improve health, however the effect of RV in layers under oxidative stress (OS) is limited. The objective of this experiment was to investigate the negative effect of OS and protective effects of RV against OS in laying hens. 40 Lohmann layers (25-wk-old; BW = 1.44±0.10 kg) were allocated to four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with either RV (0 or 600 mg/kg) or intraperitoneal injection of tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP) (0 or 800 μmol/kg BW) for 31 days. The results shown that the hens challenged with tBHP presented lower egg-laying rate, feed intake, feed efficiency and higher defective egg rate (P

Inflammatory bowel disease (namely, colitis) severely impairs human health. Isoleucine is reported to regulate immune function (such as the production of immunoreactive substances). The aim of this study was to investigate whether l-isoleucine administration might alleviate dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in rats. In the in vitro trial, IEC-18 cells were treated by 4 mmol/L l-isoleucine for 12 h, which relieved the decrease of cell viability that was induced by TNF-α (10 ng/ml) challenge for 24 h (P <0.05). Then, in the in vivo experiment, a total of 44 Wistar rats were allotted into 2 groups that were fed l-isoleucine-supplemented diet and control diet for 35 d. From 15 to 35 d, half of the rats in the 2 groups drank the 4% DSS-adding water. Average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion of rats were impaired by DSS challenge (P <0.05). Drinking the DSS-supplementing water also increased disease activity index (DAI) and serum urea nitrogen level (P <0.05), shortened colonic length (P <0.05), impaired colonic enterocyte apoptosis, cell cycle, and the ZO-1 mRNA expression (P <0.05), increased the ratio of CD11c-, CD64-, and CD169-positive cells in colon (P <0.05), and induced extensive ulcer, infiltration of inflammatory cells, and collagenous fiber hyperplasia in colon. However, dietary l-isoleucine supplementation attenuated the negative effect of DSS challenge on growth performance (P <0.05), DAI (P <0.05), colonic length and enterocyte apoptosis (P <0.05), and dysfunction of colonic histology, and downregulated the ratio of CD11c-, CD64-, and CD169-positive cells, pro-inflammation cytokines and the mRNA expression of TLR4, MyD88, and NF-κB in the colon of rats (P <0.05). These results suggest that supplementing l-isoleucine in diet improved the DSS-induced growth stunting and colonic damage in rats, which could be associated with the downregulation of inflammation via regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway in colon.

Growing evidences show a direct link between diarrhea and disorders of gut microbiota in pigs. However, whether there are microbial markers associated with post-weaning diarrhea remains unknown. In the current study, we compared the microbial community, functions and metabolites between healthy weaned piglets (group H, n=7) and piglets with post-weaning diarrhea (group D, n=7), in order to find out diarrhea associated microbial markers. Each of 7 fecal samples was collected from H and D piglets (weaned at 21 d and sampled at 26 d). The metagenomic and untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed that the microbial composition, function and metabolic profile in D pigs was considerably reshaped, including the reduced abundance and number of Bacteroides, which significantly correlated with the diarrhea status of host. The carbohydrate metabolism, biosynthesis and metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and the activity of glycan and carbohydrates digestion related enzymes showed extensively down-regulated in D pigs compared with H pigs. Diarrhea significantly changed the metabolic profiles of fecal microbiota, and most of the altered metabolites were negatively or positively correlated with the change in the abundance of Bacteroides. In conclusion, the lower abundance of Bacteroides and its associated metabolic dysfunction may be regarded as microbial markers of physiological post-weaning diarrhea in piglets.

Intestinal inflammation is a major threat to the health and growth of young animals such as piglets. As a next-generation probiotics, limited studies have shown that Akkermansia muciniphila could alleviate inflammation of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). In this study, a TNF-α-induced inflammatory model of IPEC-J2 cells, the intestinal porcine enterocytes, was built to evaluate the effects of active or inactive A. muciniphila on the inflammation of IECs. The viability of IPEC-J2 cells was the highest when treated with active (108 copies/mL) or inactive (109 copies/mL) A. muciniphila for 7.5 h (P < 0.01). Treated with 20 ng/mL of TNF-α and followed by a treatment of A. muciniphila, the mRNA level of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-8, IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α) was remarkably reduced (P < 0.05) along with the increased mRNA level of tight junction proteins (ZO-1 and Occludin, P < 0.05). Flow cytometry analysis showed that active or inactive A. muciniphila significantly suppressed the rate of the early and total apoptotic of the inflammatory IPEC-J2 cells (P < 0.05). According to results of transcriptome sequencing, active and inactive A. muciniphila may decline cell apoptosis by down-regulating the expression of key genes in calcium signaling pathway, or up-regulating the expression of key genes in cell cycle signaling pathway. And the bacterium may alleviate the inflammation of IECs by down-regulating the expression of PI3K upstream receptor genes. Our results indicate that A. muciniphila may be a promising NGP targeting intestinal inflammation.

Adequate ovarian hormones secretion is essential for pregnancy success. Oxidative damage and following inflammation can destroy the ovarian normal function in mammals. Daidzein (DAI) is a classical isoflavonic phytoestrogen with specific oestrogenic activity. This study aimed to explore the effects of daidzein supplementation on fertility and ovarian characteristics of sows through biochemical analysis and RNA-seq technology. Twelve multiparous Yorkshire × Landrace sows were randomly divided into CON and DAI groups. We found that DAI increased total number of embryos as well as P4 and E2 levels of serum. DAI not only elevated the activities of T-AOC and GSH-Px, but also tended to decrease the content of MDA and IL-6 in the serum. In ovary, RNA-Seq identified 237 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and GO analysis showed that these DEGs were linked to functions associated with immune dysfunction. Moreover, STRING analysis demonstrated that most interacting nodes were TLR-4, LCP2, and CD86. Furthermore, DAI decreased the content of MDA, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and increased the activities of T-AOC and CAT in ovarian tissue. Interestingly, a partial mantel correlation showed that T-AOC was the strongest correlation between the ovarian dataset and selected DEGs. Additionally, DAI supplementation not only increased the protein expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1, but also decreased the protein expressions of TLR-4, p-NFκB, p-AKT, and p-IκBα. Altogether, our results indicated that DAI could ameliorate ovarian oxidative stress and inflammation in sows, which might be mediated by suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway and activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.

Diarrhoea caused by pathogens such as enterotoxigenic

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the influence of dietary tributyrin on reproduction performance and ovary function of broiler breeders with different egg laying rate. Two hundred fifty-six AA broiler breeders (48-wk-old) were allocated to 4 treatment in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with the main effects of tributyrin supplementation (0 and 1,000 mg/kg tributyrin [TRI]) and 2 egg laying rate levels (average [AR, 81.01 ± 0.79%] and low [LR, 70.98 ± 0.95%]). The results shown that the LR breeders presented higher egg weight, but lower egg laying rate, qualified egg rate and feed efficiency than the AR breeders (P(laying) < 0.05). Also, the superoxidase dismutase (SOD) activity in magnum was lower while malondialdehyde (MDA) was higher in ovary and magnum of LR breeders than that in the AR breeders (P(laying) < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with tributyrin significantly enhanced egg weight (P(TRI) < 0.05), increased albumen height as well as Haugh unit (HU) in AR breeders (P(interaction) < 0.05), and also had higher total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and lower MDA in ovary (P(TRI) < 0.05). The cell apoptosis rate and proapoptosis related gene expression (caspase 8, 9 and Bax) in the ovary of LR breeders was higher, while anti-apoptosis related gene (Bcl-2) expression were lower in LR breeders when compared with the AR breeders (P(laying) < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with tributyrin decreased the cell apoptosis rate and downregulated caspase 9 expression in LR breeders (P(Interaction) < 0.05), up-regulated the Bcl-2 expression in both 2 breeders (P(TRI) < 0.05). These findings suggest that the breeders with lower egg laying rate also characterized by deteriorate ovary function indicated by lower antioxidant capacity and higher cell apoptosis rate. Dietary supplementation with tributyrin increased egg albumen quality, decreased ovarian proapoptosis related gene expression to improve reproductive tract function; and the positive effect on egg albumen quality is more pronounced in average reproductive breeders.

The purpose of this experiment is to explore the effects of dietary supplementation of benzoic acid, Enterococcus faecium, and essential oil complex (BEC) on coccidia and Clostridium perfringens challenge in laying hens. A total of 80 Lohmann gray laying hens (35 wk old) were allocated to 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with the main effects of Clostridium perfringens type A (CP) and coccidia challenge (with or without challenge) and 2 BEC levels (0 and 1,000 mg/kg). The total experimental period was 6 wk. The results showed that: the challenge group significantly decreased the laying rate and average daily feed intake (ADFI) of laying hens (P

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and apoptosis are widely considered as essential factors associated with intestinal disorders, whereas nutritional therapeutic approaches targeting ERS may control disease activity. Thus, we focus on the potential benefit of chitosan oligosaccharide (COS) on repressing ERS and ERS-induced apoptosis. In this study, we used the ERS model with tunicamycin (TM)-induced IPEC-J2 cells

Yucca schidigera extract (YE) can decrease ammonia concentration in livestock housing, which could be associated with the inhibition of urease. The aim of this study was to investigate the other possible reasons of dietary YE supplementation reducing nitrogen emission in weaned piglets. A total of 14 crossbred weaned barrows were allotted into two groups fed the diets supplementing 0 and 120 mg/kg YE for 14 days. The YE administration decreased F/G ratio and hindgut NH3 -N production in weaned piglets (p < 0.05). Dietary YE supplementation decreased serum urea nitrogen levels, and increased nutrient digestibility, which could be related to the improvement of morphology, digestive and absorptive enzyme activities, and nutrient transporter mRNA expression in jejunal mucosa of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of tight junction proteins, mucins and apoptosis-related genes was also improved by YE treatment in jejunal mucosa of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). In addition, dietary YE supplementation regulated the microbiota structure and volatile fatty acid content in distal intestine of weaned piglets (p < 0.05). These results suggest that YE administration can decrease hindgut NH3 -N production in weaned piglets, which is associated with the increased nutrient utilization and gut-barrier function.

Porcine NK-Lysine (PNKL) is a new antimicrobial peptide (AMP) identified in the small intestine. In this study, PNKL protein was obtained through heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and was estimated by SDS-PAGE at 33 kDa. The antibacterial activities of PNKL were determined using various bacterial strains and showed broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Furthermore, E. coli K88-challenged IPEC-J2 cells were used to determine PNKL influences on inflammatory responses. Hemolytic assays showed that PNKL had no detrimental impact on cell viability. Interestingly, PNKL elevated the viability of IPEC-J2 cells exposure to E. coli K88. PNKL significantly decreased the cell apoptosis rate, and improved the distribution and abundance of tight junction protein ZO-1 in IPEC-J2 cells upon E. coli K88-challenge. Importantly, PNKL not only down regulated the expressions of inflammatory cytokines such as the IL-6 and TNF-α, but also down regulated the expressions of NF-κB, Caspase3, and Caspase9 in the E. coli K88-challenged cells. These results suggest a novel function of natural killer (NK)-lysin, and the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of PNKL may allow it a potential substitute for conventionally used antibiotics or drugs.

L-leucine (Leu), as one of the effective amino acids to activate the mTOR signaling pathway, can alleviate transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) infection. However, the underlying mechanism by which Leu alleviates the virus infection has not been fully characterized. In particular, how Leu impacts TGEV replication through mTOR signaling has yet to be elucidated. In the present study, we found that TGEV proliferated efficiently in intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2 cells) as evidenced by the increase in viral contents by flow cytometry, the inhibition of cell proliferation by CCK-8 assay as well as the reduction of PCNA level by western blot. Besides, western blot analysis showed that STAT1 expression was markedly reduced in TGEV-infected cells. The results of ELISA revealed the inhibition of ISGs (ISG56, MxA, and PKR) expressions by TGEV infection. TGEV-induced mTOR and its downstream p70 S6K and 4E-BP1, STAT1 and ISGs downregulation were blocked by an mTOR activator-MHY1485 but not by an mTOR inhibitor-RAPA. Concurrently, mTOR activation by MHY1485 reduced the contents of TGEV and vice versa. Furthermore, Leu reversed the inhibition of STAT1 and ISGs by activating mTOR and its downstream p70 S6K and 4E-BP1 in TEGV-infected cells. Our findings demonstrated that Leu promoted the expressions of STAT1 and ISGs via activating mTOR signaling in IPEC-J2 cells, aiming to prevent TGEV infection.

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) infection can cause transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE), especially in suckling piglets, resulting in a significant economic loss for the global pig industry. The pathogenesis of TGEV infection is closely related to intestinal inflammation. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) has anti-inflammatory activity and immunomodulatory properties, but it is unclear whether ATRA can attenuate the inflammatory response induced by TGEV. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of ATRA on TGEV-induced inflammatory injury in intestinal porcine epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) and to explore the underlying molecular mechanism. The results showed that TGEV infection triggered inflammatory response and damaged epithelial barrier integrity in IPEC-J2 cells. However, ATRA attenuated TGEV-induced inflammatory response by inhibiting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α. ATRA also significantly reversed the reduction of ZO-1 and Occludin protein levels induced by TGEV infection and maintained epithelial barrier integrity. Moreover, ATRA treatment significantly prevented the upregulation of IкBα and NF-κB p65 phosphorylation levels and the nuclear translocation of NF-кB p65 induced by TGEV. On the other hand, treatment of TGEV-infected IPEC-J2 cells with the NF-κB inhibitors (BAY11-7082) significantly decreased the levels of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, ATRA treatment significantly downregulated the mRNA abundance and protein levels of TLR3, TLR7, RIG-I and MDA5, and downregulated their downstream signaling molecules

Bombyx mori gloverin A2 (BMGlvA2) is an induced antimicrobial insect protein isolated from Bombyx mori. This study was conducted to explore the effect and potential mechanisms of BMGlvA2 on inflammatory responses and cellular functions in intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) exposure to enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC). IPEC-J2 cells pretreated with or without BMGlvA2 (12.5 μg/mL) were challenged by ETEC K88 (1×10(6) CFU/well) or culture medium. We show that BMGlvA2 pretreatment increased the cell viability and improved the distribution and abundance of tight junction protein ZO-1 in IPEC-J2 cells exposure to ETEC (P

This study was conducted to determine the impact of different feed additives on reproductive performance, egg quality, intestinal morphology, and blood metabolic profile of broiler breeder with different egg-laying rate. A total of 512 AA broiler breeders (48 wk old) were used in a 2 × 4 factorial design which encompassed 2 egg-laying rate levels [average (AR) and low (LR)] and 4 different dietary groups [control (no additive), 6 × 108 CFU/kg Enterococcus faecium (EF), 200 mg/kg apple pectic oligosaccharide (APO), and 1,000 mg/kg tributyrin (TRI)]. As expected, the LR breeders presented higher egg weight, eggshell thickness (P < 0.05), and feed conversion ratio as well as lower egg-laying and qualified egg rate than the AR breeders (P < 0.01). Dietary supplementation with the 3 additives improved egg weight (P ≤ 0.01). Dietary APO addition improved albumen height and Haugh units (P < 0.05) in both AR and LR breeders. Compared with APO and TRI, dietary EF addition increased eggshell thickness (P ≤ 0.01). An effect of the egg-laying rate and dietary additives on eggshell thickness (P < 0.01) was noted, with the addition of EF enhancing the eggshell thickness, which is more pronounced in the AR group. The duodenum of AR breeders presented a lower crypt depth and a higher villus/crypt ratio (P < 0.05); moreover, an effect of the laying rate and dietary additives on crypt depth was noted (P < 0.05), with the addition of APO to the diet resulting in a lower crypt depth. Compared with the APO and TRI, dietary EF addition increased follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) level in serum (P < 0.05). Overall, the results gathered in this study indicate that LR breeders have lower production performance, eggshell thickness and decreased gastrointestinal tract functionality in compared with the AR breeders. Dietary supplementation with APO might improve albumen quality and decrease duodenal morphology, while EF improved eggshell quality and FSH secretion, and the improvement was more pronounced in the breeders with an average egg-laying rate.

Beta-glucan is currently under consideration as an alternative to in-feed antibiotics. The aim of the study was to investigate Agrobacterium sp. ZX09 beta-glucan on intestinal morphology, cytokine concentration, mucin expression and microbial populations of weaning piglets. Pigs were randomly assigned to one of five dietary treatments supplemented with 0, 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg beta-glucan. Data showed an increase in ADG at the 100 mg/kg group (p = .03). A significant increase in villus height and reduction in crypt depth were fund in ileal tissue at the 100 mg/kg inclusion level (p < .05). Dietary supplementation of 100 mg/kg beta-glucan enhanced IL-10 concentration (p = .04) and gene expression of MUC1 and MUC2 (p < .05) in the jejunum. Dietary supplementation of 100 mg/kg beta-glucan provoked the up-regulation of Lactobacillus counts and down-regulation of Escherichia coli counts in the caecum (p = .05). Data suggested that improved growth performance in response to beta-glucan supplementation at 100 mg/kg in weaned piglets may be explained by the improved intestinal function.

Oocyte quality is closely related to female fertility. Nevertheless, core nutritional metabolites influencing oocyte quality are unclear. Herein, comprehensive metabolomics analysis of follicular fluid, serum, and urine from low reproductive performance (LRP) and normal reproductive performance (NRP) sows was conducted. Twenty-seven, fourteen and sixteen metabolites (involved in metabolism of amino acids, fatty acids, purine and pyrimidine) were altered in follicular fluid, serum and urine, respectively, in LRP compared with NRP sows, and could decrease oocyte quality and developmental potential, ultimately leading to low fertility. Deoxyinosine, guanidine acetate, thymidine, 5,6-epoxy-eicosatrienoic acid, carnosine, docosahexaenoic acid and carbamoyl phosphate in follicular fluid, cysteine, carnitine, serotonin, hypoxanthine, valine and arginine in serum, as well as carnitine, phenyl glycine, N-acetyl glutamine, propionyl carnitine and choline in urine could be selected as diagnostic markers to indicate oocyte quality. Consistent with metabolomics data, we confirmed changes in concentrations of fatty acids and amino acids in follicular fluid. Targeting purine metabolism, elevating levels of deoxyinosine in in-vitro maturation medium of porcine oocyte significantly promoted the blastocyst rate. Collectively, this study provided new information of potential targets for predicting oocyte quality and developmental potential, and may help with strategies for early diagnosis or therapeutic/dietary intervention in improving reproductive outcomes.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary amylose and amylopectin ratio on growth performance, meat quality, postmortem glycolysis and muscle fibre type transformation of finishing pigs. Twenty-four barrows (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with an average initial body weight of 61.7 ± 2.01 kg were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with amylose: amylopectin ratios of 1:1 (HD), 1:2 (MD), 1:3 (CD) and 1:4 (LD). The results showed that the average daily weight gain of finishing pigs tended to reduce with the ratio of amylose and amylopectin decreased (p = 0.09). Diet LD increased the pH24h value and decreased the shear force in longissimus dorsi (LM) compared with diet HD (p < 0.05). Diet LD decreased the lactate content and the HK-2 mRNA abundance and increased the mRNA abundance of ATP5B in LM compared with diet HD (p < 0.05). Higher mRNA abundance of MyHC I and lesser abundance of MyHC IIb in LM were found in pigs fed diet CD and LD than those fed diet HD (p < 0.05). Furthermore, pigs fed diet LD had higher mRNA abundances of PGC-1α and PPAR δ in LM than other groups (p < 0.05). These results suggested that diet with low amylose and amylopectin ratio could improve meat quality of finishing pigs via delaying muscle glycolysis capacity and shifting muscle fibre types.

Two experiments were conducted to determine the standardized ileal digestible lysine (SID Lys) requirement for weaned pigs fed with low crude protein (CP) diet. In Experiment 1, 144 pigs were fed a normal CP (20%) diet with 12.3 g/kg SID Lys and five low CP (18.5%) diets providing SID Lys levels of 9.8, 11.1, 12.3, 13.5, and 14.8 g/kg, respectively, for 28 days. Reducing dietary CP from 20% to 18.5% enhanced (p

Carbohydrates represent the most important energy source in the diet of humans and animals. A large number of studies have shown that dietary carbohydrates (DCHO) are related to the bacterial community in the gut, but their relationship with the composition of intestinal fungi is still unknown. Here, we report the response of the colonic fungal community to different compositions of DCHO in a pig model. Three factors, ratio (2:1, 1:1, and 1:2) of amylose to amylopectin (AM/AP), level of nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP; 1%, 2%, and 3%), and mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS; 400, 800, and 1,200 mg/kg body weight), were considered according to an L9 (34) orthogonal design to form nine diets with different carbohydrate compositions. Sequencing based on an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 region showed that the fungal community in the colon of the pigs responded to DCHO in the order of MOS, AM/AP, and NSP. A large part of some low-abundance fungal genera correlated with the composition of DCHO, represented by Saccharomycopsis, Mrakia, Wallemia, Cantharellus, Eurotium, Solicoccozyma, and Penicillium, were also associated with the concentration of glucose and fructose, as well as the activity of β-d-glucosidase in the colonic digesta, suggesting a role of these fungi in the degradation of DCHO in the colon of pigs. Our study provides direct evidence for the relationship between the composition of DCHO and the fungal community in the colon of pigs, which is helpful to understand the function of gut microorganisms in pigs. IMPORTANCE Although fungi are a large group of microorganisms along with bacteria and archaea in the gut of monogastric animals, the nutritional significance of fungi has been ignored for a long time. Our previous studies revealed a distinct fungal community in the gut of grazing Tibetan pigs (J. Li, D. Chen, B. Yu, J. He, et al., Microb Biotechnol 13:509–521, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1111/1751-7915.13507) and a close correlation between fungal species and short-chain fatty acids, the main microbial metabolites of carbohydrates in the hindgut of pigs (J. Li, Y. Luo, D. Chen, B. Yu, et al., J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr 104:616–628, 2020, https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.13300). These groundbreaking findings indicate a potential relationship between intestinal fungi and the utilization of DCHO. However, no evidence directly proves the response of intestinal fungi to changes in DCHO. Here, we show a clear alteration of the colonic fungal community in pigs triggered by different compositions of DCHO simulated by varied concentrations of starch, nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP), and oligosaccharides. Our results highlight the potential involvement of intestinal fungi in the utilization of nutrients in monogastric animals.

This study was conducted to compare the effect of raw (WB) or mixed fungi-fermented wheat bran (FWB) on the growth, nutrient digestibility and intestinal health in weaned piglets. After the preparation of FWB, twenty-one cross-bred weaned piglets (7.20 ± 0.5 kg) were separated into three groups for a 40-day trial. The pigs in the control group were fed a basal corn-soybean meal diet. For the other two groups, 8% of expanded corn in the basal diet was replaced by equivalent WB or FWB. Results showed that the content of main nutrients and the composition of dietary fiber in FWB improved compared to that for WB. The digestibility of fiber in pigs fed FWB improved (P < 0.05) compared to the control and/or WB without affecting their growth performance. Both WB and FWB decreased the conditional pathogen (Streptococcus) or/and E. coli virulence factor (STb) in the colon compared to control (P < 0.05), and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (VCR) in jejunum increased (P < 0.05). The number of goblet cells, the expression of MUC-1 and pBD1 in jejunal mucosa, and the proportion of blood CD4+ T lymphocyte subset improved (P < 0.05) by FWB rather than WB. Furthermore, although only WB elevated (P < 0.05) the concentration of butyrate in the colon, both WB and FWB increased the number of butyrate-producing bacteria (P < 0.05) compared to the control. Thus, the main advantage of FWB over WB in weaned pigs is its improvement in fiber digestibility.

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of early transplantation of the faecal microbiota from Tibetan pigs on the gut development of dextran sulphate sodium- (DSS-) challenged piglets. In total, 24 3-day-old DLY piglets were divided into four groups ( n = 6 per group); a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement was used, which included faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) (from Tibetan pigs) and DSS challenge. The whole trial lasted for 55 days. DSS infusion increased the intestinal density, serum diamine oxidase (DAO) activity, and colonic Escherichia coli count ( P < 0.05 ), and decreased the Lactobacillus spp. count and mRNA abundances of epidermal growth factor (EGF), glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), occludin, mucin 2 (MUC2), regeneration protein IIIγ (RegIIIγ), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in the colon ( P < 0.05 ). FMT increased the Lactobacillus spp. count and mRNA abundances of GLP-2, RegIIIγ, and IL-10 in the colon ( P < 0.05 ), and decreased the intestinal density, serum DAO activity, and colonic E. coli number ( P < 0.05 ). In addition, in DSS-challenged piglets, FMT decreased the disease activity index ( P < 0.05 ) and attenuated the effect of DSS challenge on the intestinal density, serum DAO activity, and colonic E. coli number ( P < 0.05 ). These data indicated that the faecal microbiota from Tibetan pigs could attenuate the negative effect of DSS challenge on the gut development of piglets.

This study elucidated the function role of dietary selenium-enriched yeast (SeY) supplementation on growth performance, immune function, and antioxidant capacity in weaned pigs exposure to oxidative stress. Thirty-two similarity weight pigs were randomly divided into four treatments: (1) nonchallenged control, (2) control+SeY, (3) control+diquat, and (4) control+SeY+diquat. The period of experiment was 21 days; on day 16, pigs were injected with diquat or sterile saline. Results revealed that oxidative stress was notably detrimental to the growth performance of piglets, but SeY supplementation ameliorated this phenomenon, which might be regarding the increasing of body antioxidant capacity and immune functions. In details, SeY supplementation improved the digestibility of crude protein (CP), ash, and gross energy (GE). Moreover, the serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6), glutamic-pyruvic transaminase(GPT), and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) were reduced via SeY supplemented, and serum concentrations of immunoglobulins A (IgA), IgG, and activities of antioxidant enzymes such as the superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) ,and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were improved in the diquat-challenged pigs ( P < 0.05 ). In addition, SeY supplementation acutely enhanced the activities of these antioxidant enzymes in the liver and thymus upon diquat challenge, which involved with the upregulation of the critical genes related antioxidant signaling such as the nuclear factor erythroid-derived 2-related factor 2 (Nrf-2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) ( P < 0.05 ). Importantly, we also found that SeY supplementation apparently reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations in the liver, thymus, and serum ( P < 0.05 ). Specifically, the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in the liver and thymus were downregulated by SeY upon diquat challenge. These results suggested that SeY can attenuate oxidative stress-induced growth retardation, which was associated with elevating body antioxidant capacity, immune functions, and suppressed inflammatory response.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection causes heavy economic losses in the pig industry. Currently, the lack of effective treatments prompts new antiviral researches. We have shown that 25-hydroxyvitamin D

To explore the effect of manno-oligosaccharide (MOS) on intestinal health in weaned pigs upon enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 (ETEC) challenge, thirty-two male weaned pigs were randomly assigned into four groups. Pigs fed with a basal diet or basal diet containing MOS (0·6 g/kg) were orally infused with ETEC or culture medium. Results showed that MOS significantly elevated the digestibility of crude protein and gross energy in both ETEC-challenged and non-challenged pigs (P0·05). MOS also elevated serum concentrations of IgA and IgM (P0·05), but decreased serum concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 (P0·05) in ETEC-challenged pigs. Interestingly, MOS increased villus height and the ratio of villus height:crypt depth in duodenum and ileum (P0·05). MOS also increased duodenal sucrase and ileal lactase activity in ETEC-challenged pigs (P0·05). MOS decreased the abundance of E. coli, but increased the abundance of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Bacillus in caecum (P0·05). Importantly, MOS not only elevated the expression levels of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), claudin-1 and GLUT-2 in duodenum (P0·05) but also elevated the expression levels of ZO-1, GLUT-2 and L-type amino acid transporter-1 in ileum (P0·05) upon ETEC challenge. These results suggested that MOS can alleviate inflammation and intestinal injury in weaned pigs upon ETEC challenge, which was associated with suppressed secretion of inflammatory cytokines and elevated serum Ig, as well as improved intestinal epithelium functions and microbiota.

To explore the protective effect of Fructooligosaccharides (FOS) against Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-induced inflammation and intestinal injury, twenty-four weaned pigs were randomly assigned into three groups: (1) non-challenge (CON, fed with basal diet), (2) ETEC-challenge (ECON, fed with basal diet), and (3) ETEC challenge + FOS treatment (EFOS, fed with basal diet plus 2.5 g kg-1 FOS). On day 19, the CON group was orally infused with sterilized culture while pigs in the ECON group and EFOS group were orally infused with ETEC (2.5 × 1011 colony-forming units). After 3 days, pigs were slaughtered for sample collection. We showed that ETEC challenge significantly reduced average daily gain (ADG); however, FOS improved the ADG (P0.05), apparent digestibility of crude protein (CP), gross energy (GE), and ash and reduced the diarrhea incidence (P0.05). FOS reduced plasma concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α and down-regulated (P0.05) the mRNA expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in the jejunum and ileum as well as IL-1β and TNF-α in the duodenum. The concentrations of plasma immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin M (IgM) and secreted IgA (SIgA) in the jejunum (P0.05) were elevated. Interestingly, FOS elevated the villus height in the duodenum, and elevated the ratio of villus height to crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum in the EFOS group pigs (P0.05). Moreover, FOS increased lactase activity in the duodenum and ileum (P0.05). The activities of sucrase and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) were higher in the EFOS group than in the ECON group (P0.05). Importantly, FOS up-regulated the expressions of critical genes in intestinal epithelium function such as zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), L-type amino acid transporter-1 (LAT1), and cationic amino acid transporter-1 (CAT1) in the duodenum and the expressions of ZO-1 and glucose transporter-2 (GLUT2) in the jejunum (P0.05). FOS also up-regulated the expressions of occludin, fatty acid transporter-4 (FATP4), sodium glucose transport protein 1 (SGLT1), and GLUT2 in the ileum (P0.05). FOS significantly increased the concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid in the cecal digesta. Additionally, FOS reduced the populations of Escherichia coli, but elevated the populations of Bacillus and Bifidobacterium in the caecal digesta (P0.05). These results suggested that FOS could improve the growth performance and intestinal health in weaned pigs upon ETEC challenge, which was associated with suppressed inflammatory responses and improved intestinal epithelium functions and microbiota.

Antibiotics are widely used to treat various inflammatory bowel diseases caused by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC). However, continuous use of antibiotics may lead to drug resistance. In this study, we investigated the role of human β-defensin 118 (DEFB118) in regulating the ETEC-induced inflammation and intestinal injury. ETEC-challenged or non-challenged mice were treated by different concentrations of DEFB118. We show that ETEC infection significantly increased fecal score (P

Acetate, propionate, and butyrate, three of the most common short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), can be produced when some non-digestible carbohydrates enter the large intestine and undergo bacterial fermentation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of these three SCFAs on appetite regulation and lipid metabolism and to determine the extent that appetite contributes to the beneficial influences of SCFAs.In a 35-d study, 48 C57BL/6J male mice were randomly allocated to six groups: control; 5% sodium acetate; 5% sodium propionate; 5% sodium butyrate; pair fed 1; and pair fed 2.The study showed that dietary supplementation of sodium acetate reduced serum triacylglycerol, free fatty acids, glucose, and interleukin (IL)-6 levels (P0.05), increased serum glucagon-like peptide 1, and leptin levels (P0.05), downregulated the mRNA expressions of fatty acid synthase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, and lipoprotein lipase (P0.05), and upregulated the mRNA expressions of fasting-induced adipose factor, nuclear respiratory factor 1, mitochondrial transcription factor A, tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 9, cytochrome-C oxidase IV and free fatty acid receptor 2 (P0.05). Sodium propionate also reduced serum IL-1β level (P0.05), increased serum peptide YY level (P0.05), downregulated the mRNA expressions of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase and sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c (P0.05), and upregulated the mRNA expression of transmembrane protein 26 (P0.05). Additionally, sodium butyrate decreased average daily feed intake (P0.05) downregulated the mRNA expression of myosin heavy-chain (MyHc) Ⅱb (P0.05), and upregulated the mRNA expressions of lipase hormone-sensitive, MyHC Ⅱa and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1α (P0.05). Moreover, the metabolic benefits of SCFAs were partly attributed to the reduction of feed intake.Taken together, SCFAs could reduce appetite and fat accumulation via modulating relevant genes and hormones, which might further illustrate the potential mechanisms that underlay the effects of SCFAs on lipid homeostasis and control of body weight.

The present study investigated the effects of Bacillus coagulans and yeast hydrolysate supplementation on growth performance, immune response and intestinal barrier function of weaned piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets with an average body weight (BW) of 6.89 ± 0.15 kg were divided into four diets for 28 days. The treatments were basal diet (control), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (20 mg/kg colistin sulphate and 40 mg/kg bacitracin zinc, AT), probiotics (400 mg/kg Bacillus coagulans ≥5 × 109 CFU/g, BC) or yeast hydrolysate (5000 mg/kg yeast hydrolysate, YH). Average daily gain (ADG) and average daily feed intake (ADFI) were improved by AT and YH diets (p < 0.05), while BC diet only increased ADG (p < 0.05). The complement 3 (C3), lysozyme (LZM) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations in serum were increased in BC diet (p < 0.05). Feeding AT and YH caused the increase of jejunal villus height (p < 0.05), and a higher ratio of villus height/crypt depth was observed in AT, BC and YH groups (p < 0.05). The mRNA expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in jejunal mucosa was up-regulated by AT, BC and YH diets (p < 0.05). Dietary AT, BC or YH inclusion decreased the interleukin-1β (IL-1β) concentration and TNF-α mRNA expression (p < 0.05), and YH supplementation even down-regulated toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and CD14 expressions (p < 0.05). In summary, the dietary administration of BC or YH both improves growth performance through promoting the intestinal barrier function, indicating both of them can serve as potential alternatives to antibiotics growth promoters for the piglet production.

Background: Daidzein (DAI) is a kind of natural isoflavonic phytoestrogen with estrogenic activity. However, little is known about its influence on early fetal growth in mammalian animals. In this study, we investigated the effects dietary DAI supplementation on early fetal development in sows. To explore the potential mechanisms, the metabolic profiles of amniotic fluid collected at 35 days of gestation (dg) was determined by using metabolomics. Results: Results show that DAI supplementation at a dose of 200 mg/kg significantly enhanced the number of viable embryos at the early gestation stage (P < 0.05). DAI significantly elevated the concentrations of estrogen (E) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in the amniotic fluid (P < 0.05). Moreover, DAI tended to increase the concentration of progesterone, but decrease the concentration of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in the amniotic fluid (0.05

Here, we explored the influences of dietary inulin (INU) supplementation on growth performance and intestinal health in a porcine model. Thirty-two male weaned pigs (with an average body weight of 7·10 (sd 0·20) kg) were randomly assigned to four treatments and fed with a basal diet (BD) or BD containing 2·5, 5·0 and 10·0 g/kg INU. After a 21-d trial, pigs were killed for collection of serum and intestinal tissues. We show that INU supplementation had no significant influence on the growth performance in weaned pigs. INU significantly elevated serum insulin-like growth factor-1 concentration but decreased diamine oxidase concentration (P < 0·05). Interestingly, 2·5 and 5·0 g/kg INU supplementation significantly elevated the villus height in jejunum and ileum (P < 0·05). Moreover, 2·5 and 5·0 g/kg INU supplementation also elevated the villus height to crypt depth (V:C) in the duodenum and ileum and improved the distribution and abundance of tight-junction protein zonula occludens-1 in duodenum and ileum epithelium. INU supplementation at 10·0 g/kg significantly elevated the sucrase activity in the ileum mucosa (P < 0·05). INU supplementation decreased the expression level of TNF-α but elevated the expression level of GLUT 2 and divalent metal transporter 1 in the intestinal mucosa (P < 0·05). Moreover, INU increased acetic and butyric acid concentrations in caecum (P < 0·05). Importantly, INU elevated the Lactobacillus population but decreased the Escherichia coli population in the caecum (P < 0·05). These results not only indicate a beneficial effect of INU on growth performance and intestinal barrier functions but also offer potential mechanisms behind the dietary fibre-regulated intestinal health.

Background: β-defensin 118 (DEFB118 ) is a novel host defence peptide (HDP) identified in human. To evaluate its potentials for future utilization, the DEFB118 gene was expressed in Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and the recombinant protein was fully characterized. Methods: The DEFB118 protein was obtained by heterologous expression using E. coli Rosetta (DE3). Antibacterical activity of DEFB118 were determined by using various bacterial strains. IPEC-J cells challenged by E. coli K88 were used to determine its influences on inflammatory responses. Results: The E. coli transformants yielded more than 250 mg/mL D EFB118 protein after 4 h induction by 1.0 mM IPTG. The DEFB118 was estimated by SDS-PAGE to be 30 kDa, and MALDI-TOF analysis verified it is a human β-defensin 118. Importantly, the DEFB118 showed antimicrobial activities against both Gram-negative bacteria ( E. coli K88 and E. coli DH5α) and Gram-positive bacteria ( S. aureus and B. subtilis ), with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 4 μg/mL. Hemolytic assays showed that DEFB118 had no detrimental impact on cell viability. Additionally, DEFB118 was found to elevate the viability of IPEC-J2 cells upon E. coli K88 challenge. Moreover, DEFB118 significantly decreased cell apoptosis in the late apoptosis phase and down-regulated the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as the IL-1β and TNF-a in the IPEC-J2 cells exposure to E. coli K88. Conclusions: These results suggested a novel function of the mammalian defensins, and the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of DEFB118 may allow it a potential substitute for conventionally used antibiotics or drugs.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with wheat bran fibre, inulin and their combination on growth performance, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production in caecum and colon and liver lipid metabolism in growing pigs. A total of 48 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire cross-bred growing pigs (73 ± 2 days of age; 24.37 ± 2.86 kg) were allocated to four groups randomly, each group consisting of six pens with two pigs each. The pigs were fed a control diet (CON), a diet containing 2% wheat bran fibre (WB), a diet containing 2% inulin (IN), and a diet containing both of 1% wheat bran fibre and 1% inulin (MIX), respectively. The trial lasted for 28 days. The results showed that MIX fed pigs had a higher percentage of fat in the liver than those fed the CON (p < .05). IN, WB or MIX feeding decreased the concentrations of acetate and total SCFAs in colon compared with CON (p < .01). Feeding WB or IN also decreased the colonic butyrate concentrations compared with CON (p < .01). However, the serum level of valeric acid was elevated in the IN, WB and MIX group (p < .01). MIX fed pigs tended to have lower levels of propionate in serum than the WB fed pigs (p = .098). MIX feeding enhanced the mRNA expression of lipid synthesis-related genes in liver compared with CON (p < .05). Feeding IN decreased the expression of bile acids synthesis-related genes in liver and increased mRNA expression of SCFAs transporter SLC16A1 in colon compared with CON (p < .05). In this study, these data indicated that the combined supplementation of wheat bran fibre and inulin decreased the SCFAs concentrations in the colon, enhanced the genes FAS and HNF-4α mRNA expression in liver and induced liver lipid accumulation in growing pigs.

Inulin is a soluble dietary fiber that has been implicated in regulating the intestinal health. Here, we describe a synergetic response of intestinal microbiota and epithelial functions to increased intake of inulin in a porcine model. Twenty growing-pigs were randomly allocated to two groups (n = 10) and fed with a basal diet (BD) or BD containing 0.5% inulin (INU) for 21 days. We show that INU supplementation not only elevated villus height and the abundance of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), but also increased acetate and butyrate concentrations in cecum (P

Infection with transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) has been associated with villous atrophy within 48 h, which seriously disrupts intestinal homeostasis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, we found that TGEV infection severely disrupted intestinal homeostasis via inhibition of self-renewal and differentiation in Lgr5 intestinal stem cells (ISCs). Profoundly, TGEV-encoded NSP10/NSP16 protein complex-mediated the inactivation of Notch signaling provided a mechanistic explanation for this phenomenon. Initial invasions by TGEV-targeted Paneth cells through aminopeptidase N (APN) receptor, then inducing mitochondrial damage and ROS generation in them, ultimately causing Paneth cell decrease and loss of Notch factors (DII4 and Hes5), which are essential for Lgr5 ISCs self-renewal and differentiation. Interestingly, loss of Notch signaling induced goblet cells differentiation at the cost of absorptive enterocytes and promoted mucins secretion, which accelerated TGEV replication. Therefore, the more differentiation of goblet cells, the greater TGEV infection in jejunum. These results provide a detailed mechanistic pathway by which villous atrophy sharply occurs in TGEV-infected jejunum within 48 h. Thus, the pathogenesis of TGEV can be described as a “bottom up scenario”, which is contrary to the traditional “top down” hypothesis. Together, our findings provide a potential link between diarrheal virus infection and crypt cells response that regulates Paneth cells function and Lgr5 ISCs fate and could be exploited for therapeutic application.

Amylose plays important role in body health. It is controversial whether changing dietary amylose/amylopectin ratio (DAR) will improve meat quality in growing-finishing pigs. A total of 48 Duroc × Landrace × Large White castrated male pigs (initial body weight 49.8 ± 2.8 kg) were randomly allotted to two treatments, and fed ad libitum either with a low DAR diet (LR, amylose/amylopectin: 12/88) or a high DAR diet (HR, amylose/amylopectin: 30/70) for 68 days. Feed intake was recorded every day, body weight was weighed at 46th and 68th day to calculate average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI) and Feed:gain ratio. Blood was collected at -30 min (fasting 12 hr), 60, 90, 120, 180 min postprandial at 64th day and then serum was obtained by centrifugation of blood at 1,500× g at 4°C. After pigs were slaughtered, samples such as longissimus dorsi, iliopsoas and semitendinosus were collected. Density, diameter and types of muscle fibres were analysed. Results showed that ADG, ADFI, Feed:Gain ratio, cross-sectional area of longissimus dorsi muscle, backfat thickness, colour scores were not affected by DAR. Ingestion of LR diet increased the fasting glucose (p < 0.05) and insulin (p < 0.05) concentrations in serum. The drip loss and firmness were decreased significantly in LR vs. HR animals (p < 0.05). Densities of muscle fibre in longissimus dorsi, iliopsoas and semitendinosus were greater in LR pigs (p < 0.05). Moreover, ingestion of LR diet significantly increased myosin heavy chain (MyHC) IIa mRNA level and decreased MyHC IIb gene expression in longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) (p < 0.05). Therefore, intake of diet low in amylose/amylopectin ratio induces a better meat quality (lower drip loss and lower firmness), which could attribute to smaller myofibres, a shift to slower and/or more oxidative fibres.

Vanadium (V) can induce cell apoptosis in layers' oviduct resulting in egg quality reduction. In this study, we investigated the relationship between the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-signaling pathway and V-induced apoptosis in poultry oviduct magnum epithelial cells (OMECs). Cultured OMECs were divided into 8 treatment groups: 0 μmol/L V (control), 100 μmol/L V (V100), V100 + P38MAPK inhibitor (SB203580), SB203580, V100 + extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) inhibitor (U0126), U0126, V100 + c-JUN NH2 -terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125), and SP600125. The OMECs were pretreated with the MAPK inhibitors before their treatment with V100 for 12 h. V100 increased the apoptosis of OMECs (P < .05), while 3 MAPK inhibitors suppressed V100-induced apoptosis P < .05); V100 enhanced the depolarization of △ψm (P < .05), and SB203580 and U0126 alleviated the V100-induced △ψm decrease (P < .05); V100 downregulated B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and poly [Adenosine diphosphate ribose] polymerase 1 (PARP1) mRNA expression (P < .05), meanwhile it upregulated Bcl-2 associated x (Bax), Apaf1, cytochrome C (CytC) and cysteine aspartase (caspase) 3, 8, 9 mRNA expression (P < .05). All MAPKs inhibitors alleviated the up-regulation of V100 for Bax and caspase 3 mRNA expression and down-regulation of V100 for Bcl-2 expression (P < .05). SB203580 and U0126 upregulated CytC expression treated by V100 (P < .05), except SP600125, while SB203580 administration resulted in a similar upregulation of PARP1 expression (P < .05). SP600125 can alleviated V triggered p-P38MAPK (phosphor-P38), p-ERK1/2 (phosphor-ERK1/2), p-JNK (phosphor-JNK) increase on OME cells, and SB203580 and U0126 had a similar response to phosphor-P38 and p-JNK (P < .05). It concluded that V-induced apoptosis in OMECs through the activation of P38 and ERK1/2, and by increasing the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, which resulted in △ψm decrease, CytC release into the cytosol; consequently caspase 3 is recruited and activated, PARP1 is cleaved, eventually leading to apoptosis.