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BACKGROUND: Early weaning is prone to damage intestinal barrier function, resulting in diarrhea, whereas rutin, as a natural flavonoid with multiple biological functions, shows potential in piglets. Therefore, the effects of dietary rutin on growth, antidiarrheal, barrier function, antioxidant status and cecal microbiota of weaned piglets were investigated with the control group (CON) (basal diet) and Rutin (basal diet+500 mg kg−1 rutin) groups fed for 14 days. RESULTS: The results showed that dietary 500 mg kg−1 rutin significantly decreased diarrhea index, serum diamine oxidase activity and total aerobic bacterial population in mesenteric lymph nodes, whereas it significantly increased the gain‐to‐feed ratio (G:F) and serum growth hormone content, jejunal villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio, and also enhanced jejunal claudin‐1 and zonula occludens‐1 mRNA and protein expression. Meanwhile, dietary rutin significantly decreased inflammation‐associated mRNA expression, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, swollen mitochondrial number and mitochondrial area in the jejunum, whereas it increased the total superoxide dismutase (T‐SOD) and glutathione peroxidase activities and activated the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Moreover, dietary rutin significantly increased Firmicutes abundance and decreased Campylobacterota abundance, which were closely associated with the decreased diarrhea index and MDA content or increased Claudin‐1 expression and T‐SOD activity. CONCLUSION: Dietary 500 mg kg−1 rutin increased G:F by improving intestinal morphology, and alleviated diarrhea by enhancing intestinal barrier, which might be associated with the enhanced antioxidant capacity via activating the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway and the improved cecal microbial composition in weaned piglets. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As nano-zinc oxide (Nano-ZnO), a new type of nanomaterial, has antioxidant and intestinal protection effects, we hypothesized that dietary Nano-ZnO could modulate poor meat quality, oxidative stress and disturbed gut microbiota in the finishing pig model of naturally occurring intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). A total of 6 normal-born weight (NBW) and 12 IUGR piglets were selected based on birth weight. The pigs in the NBW group received a basal diet, and IUGR pigs were randomly divided into two groups and treated with basal diet and 600 mg/kg Nano-ZnO-supplemented diet. Dietary Nano-ZnO ameliorated IUGR-associated declined meat quality by lowering the drip loss48h, cooking loss, shearing force and MyHc IIx mRNA expression, and raising the redness (a*), peak area ratio of immobilized water (P22), sarcomere length and MyHc Ia mRNA expression. Nano-ZnO activated the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2-glutamyl cysteine ligase (Nrf2-GCL) signaling pathway by promoting the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, increasing the GCL activities, and mRNA and protein expression of its catalytic/modify subunit (GCLC/GCLM), thereby attenuating the IUGR-associated muscle oxidative injury. Additionally, the composition of IUGR pigs' cecal microbiota was altered by Nano-ZnO, as seen by changes in Shannon and Simpson indexes, the enhanced UCG-005, hoa5-07d05 gut group and Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group abundance. The UCG-005 and hoa5-07d05 gut group abundance were correlated with indicators that reflected the meat quality traits and antioxidant properties. In conclusion, Nano-ZnO improved the IUGR-impaired meat quality by altering water holding capacity, water distribution and the ultrastructure of muscle, activating the Nrf2-GCL signaling pathway to alleviate oxidative status and regulating the cecal microbial composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of dietary rutin on the meat quality, antioxidant status and mitochondrial structure and function in the breast muscle of heat‐stressed broilers. A total of 192 male broilers were randomly assigned into three groups and treated with normal control (CON), heat stress (34 °C, HS), and HS with 500 mg kg−1 rutin supplementation (HS + Rutin), respectively. RESULTS: Dietary rutin significantly reversed HS‐induced decrease in body weight, average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and feed efficiency. Rutin supplementation attenuated HS‐induced impaired meat quality by decreasing the lightness, drip loss at 24 and 48 h, the peak time of free water (T22) and the peak area ratio of free water (P22), and increasing the pH24h and peak area ratio of immobilized water (P21). Rutin supplementation promoted superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase activities and total antioxidant capacity, and decreased malondialdehyde levels compared with the HS group. Moreover, rutin attenuated HS‐induced mitochondrial damage by increasing the mitochondrial DNA copy number and improving mitochondrial morphology. Dietary rutin significantly increased mitochondrial biogenesis‐related mRNA (proliferator‐activated γ receptor coactivator‐1α [PGC‐1α], nuclear respiratory factor 1 [NRF1], and mitochondrial transcription factor A [TFAM]) expression via the AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. HS significantly increased mitophagy‐related genes and proteins (Parkin, PTEN‐induced putative kinase 1 [PINK1], microtubule associated protein light chain 3‐II [LC3‐II]) expression, and dietary rutin significantly reversed these alterations. CONCLUSION: Dietary rutin attenuated the HS‐induced decline in meat quality and antioxidant capacity of broilers, which may be related to inhibition of the AMPK/PINK1–Parkin signaling pathway to attenuate mitochondrial damage. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the effects of different doses of rutin on the growth performance, immunity, intestinal barrier, and antioxidant capacity of broilers. A total of two hundred and fifty-six 1-day-old male broilers were divided into 4 groups and fed basal diets supplemented with 0 (control group), 250, 500 and 1,000 mg rutin/kg, respectively, for 42 days. In the starter period (days 1–21) and whole trial period (days 1–42), broilers fed diets containing 500 mg rutin/kg had significantly (p < 0.05) higher average daily feed intake, body weight and average daily gain and better feed conversion ratio. Dietary 500 mg rutin/kg increased the villus height, villus height to crypt depth ratio and villus area, while reducing the B cell lymphoma 2 associated X mRNA expression (p < 0.05). Dietary 500 mg rutin/kg increased the level of IgA in serum and decreased serum tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) content, and the nuclear factor kappa-B, interleukin-2 and TNF-α mRNA expression in jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05). Simultaneously, 500 and 1,000 mg rutin/kg significantly decreased serum diamine oxidase activity, D-lactic acid and lipopolysaccharide concentration, increased activities of total superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity in jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05), and upregulated mRNA expressions of genes related to intestinal barrier and antioxidant capacity in jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that dietary rutin, especially at 500 mg/kg, improves broilers' growth performance, intestinal barrier function, immunity, and antioxidant capability, which may be related to the nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway. Dietary rutin improved growth performance, jejunal morphology, and intestinal barrier function. Dietary rutin enhanced the immunity via inhibiting NF-κB, and improved antioxidant capacity via activating Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in broilers. The optimal dose of rutin was 500 mg/kg in broiler diet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dietary zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO NP) possessing multiple biological activities might be a potential substitute for the combination of ZnSO4 and antibiotic growth promoter in broiler diets. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the efficacy of dietary ZnO NP as a substitute to the combination of ZnSO4 and xanthomycin for growth, antioxidant capacity, immunity, intestinal barrier and liver function in broilers. Arbor Acres chicks (n = 320) were assigned to 5 treatments with 8 replicates. Birds received a basal diet supplemented with 80 mg/kg ZnSO4 plus 5 mg/kg xanthomycin (ZnSO4 + Xanthomycin) or 0 (negative control, NC), 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg ZnO NP for 42 days. The average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed-to-gain ratio showed dose-dependent increases with the increasing level of dietary ZnO NP during the 21–42 day and 1–42 day stages. The final body weight (42 d) and serum concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 1 and growth hormone increased linearly with the increasing level of dietary ZnO NP. In addition, 80 mg/kg ZnO NP increased the serum concentrations of IgA, IgG, IgM, andinterleukin-10 and peroxidase activity, the jejunal mucosal villus height, villus width and goblet cell numbers. Dietary 80 or 160 mg/kg ZnO NP significantly altered mRNA abundances of genes related to antioxidant status, intestinal barrier and immunity in the jejunal mucosa. These results indicated that dietary supplementation with 40–160 mg/kg ZnO NP caused no obvious negative effects on liver function, but effectively improved growth performance, intestinal barrier function, immunity and antioxidant capacity. Dietary 40–160 mg/kg zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO NP) improved growth performance and enhanced immunity of broilers without obvious negative effects on liver function. Dietary 40–160 mg/kg ZnO NP improved intestinal barrier and intestinal morphology, and enhanced antioxidant capacity via Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. Doses of 40–80 mg/kg ZnO NP were suggested to alternate the combination of 80 mg/kg ZnSO4 and 5 mg/kg xanthomycin in diets of broilers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]