Background Physiological changes during lactation cause oxidative stress in sows,reduce immunity,and hamper the growth capacity of piglets.Alpha-glycerol monolaurate(α-GML)has potential for enhancing the antimicrobia...Background Physiological changes during lactation cause oxidative stress in sows,reduce immunity,and hamper the growth capacity of piglets.Alpha-glycerol monolaurate(α-GML)has potential for enhancing the antimicrobial activity of sows and the growth of suckling piglets.Methods Eighty sows were allocated randomly to four groups:basal diet and basal diets supplemented with 500,1000,or 2000 mg/kgα-GML.The experiment started on d 85 of gestation and lasted until piglets were weaned on d 21 of lactation.The number of live-born piglets was standardized to 12 tion,body weight of piglets was measured and milk samples±1 per sow on day of parturition.On d 0 and21 of lactawere obtained from sows,and serum samples and feces from piglets were obtained on d 21.Results Feed intake,backfat loss,and weaning estrus interval did not differ among the four groups of sows.Maternalα-GML supplementation increased(P<0.05)the body weight of piglets at weaning and the apparent total tract digestibility of crude fat of sows.The immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G levels were greater(P<0.05)in a quadratic manner in the milk of sows as dietaryα-GML increased.Concerning fatty acid profile,C12:0,C15:0,C17:0,C18:2n6c,C18:3n3,C24:0,and C22:6n3 were higher(P<0.05)in linear and quadratic manners in colostrum of sowsfedα-GML diets compared with the control sows.There was lower(P<0.05)n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio in milk than in the control sows.Maternalα-GML increased the abundance of Firmicutes(P<0.05)and decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria(P<0.05)of piglet fecal microbiota.Conclusions Dietary supplementation withα-GML improved milk immunoglobulins and altered fatty acids of sows,thereby improving the health of piglets.展开更多
Background Intrauterine growth restriction(IUGR)can cause lipid disorders in infants and have long-term adverse effects on their growth and development.Clostridium butyricum(C.butyricum),a kind of emerging probiotics,...Background Intrauterine growth restriction(IUGR)can cause lipid disorders in infants and have long-term adverse effects on their growth and development.Clostridium butyricum(C.butyricum),a kind of emerging probiotics,has been reported to effectively attenuate lipid metabolism dysfunctions.Therefore,the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of C.butyricum supplementation on hepatic lipid disorders in IUGR suckling piglets.Methods Sixteen IUGR and eight normal birth weight(NBW)neonatal male piglets were used in this study.From d 3to d 24,in addition to drinking milk,the eight NBW piglets(NBW-CON group,n=8)and eight IUGR piglets(IUGR-CON group,n=8)were given 10 mL sterile saline once a day,while the remaining IUGR piglets(IUGR-CB group,n=8)were orally administered C.butyricum at a dose of 2×108colony-forming units(CFU)/kg body weight(suspended in 10 mL sterile saline)at the same frequency.Results The IUGR-CON piglets exhibited restricted growth,impaired hepatic morphology,disordered lipid metabolism,increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens and altered ileum and liver bile acid(BA)profiles.However,C.butyricum supplementation reshaped the gut microbiota of the IUGR-CB piglets,characterized by a decreased abundance of opportunistic pathogens in the ileum,including Streptococcus and Enterococcus.The decrease in these bile salt hydrolase(BSH)-producing microbes increased the content of conjugated BAs,which could be transported to the liver and function as signaling molecules to activate liver X receptorα(LXRα)and farnesoid X receptor(FXR).This activation effectively accelerated the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids and down-regulated the total cholesterol level by decreasing the synthesis and promoting the efflux of cholesterol.As a result,the growth performance and morphological structure of the liver improved in the IUGR piglets.Conclusion These results indicate that C.butyricum supplementation in IUGR suckling piglets could decrease the abundance of BSH-producing microbes(Streptococcus and Enterococcus).This decrease altered the ileum and liver BA profiles and consequently activated the expression of hepatic LXRαand FXR.The activation of these two signaling molecules could effectively normalize the lipid metabolism and improve the growth performance of IUGR suckling piglets.展开更多
Background: Most research on galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS) has mainly focused on their prebiotic effects on the hindgut,but their beneficial effects on the small intestine(SI) have received little attention.Since jeju...Background: Most research on galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS) has mainly focused on their prebiotic effects on the hindgut,but their beneficial effects on the small intestine(SI) have received little attention.Since jejunum is the important place to digest and absorb nutrients efficiently,optimal maturation of the jejunum is necessary for maintaining the high growth rate in the neonate.Therefore,this study investigates the effect of the early intervention with GOS on the intestinal development of the jejunum.Methods: A total of 6 litters of neonatal piglets(10 piglets per litter; Duroc × Landrace × Large White) with an average birth weight of 1.55 ± 0.05 kg received 1 of 2 treatments based on their assignment to either the control(CON) group or the GOS(GOS) group in each litter.Piglets in the GOS group were orally administrated 10 mL of a GOS solution(reaching 1 g GOS/kg body weight) per day from the age of 1 to 7 d; the piglets in the CON group were treated with the same dose of physiological saline.All piglets were weaned on d 21.On d 8 and 21 of the experimental trial,1 pig per group from each of the 6 litters was euthanized.Results: The early intervention with GOS increased the average daily gains in the third week(P < 0.05).Decreased crypt depth was also observed in the jejunum of the piglets on d 21(P < 0.05).The early intervention with GOS increased the jejunal lactase activity on d 8,maltase activity and sucrase activity on d 21(P < 0.05).In addition,the early intervention with GOS also facilitated the mRNA expression of Sodium glucose co-transporter 1(SGLT1) on d 8 and the m RNA expression of Glucose transporter type 2(GLUT2) on d 21(P < 0.05).It was further determined that GOS up-regulated the m RNA expression of preproglucagon(GCG),insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1),insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor(IGF-1 R) and epidermal growth factor(EGF).GOS also up-regulated the protein expression of glucagon-like peptide-2(GLP-2) and EGF in the jejunum of the piglets.Furthermore,it was also found that GOS enhanced the protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin on d 8(P < 0.05),as well as increased the mRNA expression of TGF-β and decrease the mRNA expression of IL-12(P < 0.05).Conclusions: These results indicate that GOS have a positive effect on piglet growth performance in addition to decreasing the crypt depth and enhancing functional development in jejunum of suckling piglets.展开更多
Background:Commercial pre-weaning diets are formulated to be highly digestible and nutrient-dense and contain low levels of dietary fibre.In contrast,pigs in a natural setting are manipulating fibre-rich plant materia...Background:Commercial pre-weaning diets are formulated to be highly digestible and nutrient-dense and contain low levels of dietary fibre.In contrast,pigs in a natural setting are manipulating fibre-rich plant material from a young age.Moreover,dietary fibre affects gastrointestinal tract(GIT)development and health in older pigs.We hypothesised that supplemental diets that contain vegetal fibres are accelerating GIT development in suckling piglets in terms of size and functionality.From d 2 of life,sow-suckled piglets had access to a low fibre diet(CON),a diet with a fermentable long-chain arabinoxylan(lc-AXOS),a diet with a largely non-fermentable purified cellulose(CELL),or a diet containing both fibres.During the initial 2 weeks,the control diet was a high-density milk replacer,followed by a dry and highly digestible creep meal.Upon weaning at 25 d,15 piglets from each treatment group,identified as eaters and originating from six or seven litters,were sacrificed for post-mortem examination of GIT morphology,small intestinal permeability and metabolic profile of the digesta.The microbiota composition of the mid-colon was evaluated in a sub-set of ten piglets.Results:No major statistical interactions between the fibre sources were observed.Piglets consumed the fibrecontaining milk supplements and creep diets well.Stomach size and small intestinal permeability was not affected.Large intestinal fill was increased with lc-AXOS only,while relative large intestinal weight was increased with both fibre sources(P<0.050).Also,CELL decreased ileal pH and tended to increase ileal DM content compared to CON(P<0.050).Moreover,the concentration of volatile fatty acids was increased in the caecum(P<0.100)and midcolon(P<0.050)by addition of CELL.lc-AXOS only stimulated caecal propionate(P<0.050).The microbiota composition showed a high individual variation and limited dietary impact.Nonetheless,CELL induced minor shifts in specific genera,with notable reductions of Escherichia-Shigella.Conclusions:Adding dietary fibres to the supplemental diet of suckling piglets altered large intestinal morphology but not small intestinal permeability.Moreover,dietary fibre showed effects on fermentation and modest changes of microbial populations in the hindgut,with more prominent effects from the low-fermentable cellulose.展开更多
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of M. hyopneumoniae infection in suckling pigs. Nasal swabs were collected from 300 suckling pigs originating from five farrow-to-finishing farms. One farm had a c...The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of M. hyopneumoniae infection in suckling pigs. Nasal swabs were collected from 300 suckling pigs originating from five farrow-to-finishing farms. One farm had a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) and four other farms previously had a PRDC problem (farms B, C, D and E). Thirty (30) lactating sows in parity 1, 2 and 3 were selected from each farm (Ten sows per parity). Two piglets from each sow were randomly sampled for nasal swab at 3 weeks of age. The samples were analyzed by the nested PCR technique. Forty five per cent (27/60) of nasal swabs from farm A were found positive. On the other hand, a total of 2.08 per cent were found positive (5/240) from farm B, C, D and E. The tendency of piglet infection per sow by parity showed that first parity had more prevalence than the second and the third parity (60%, 55%, 20%), respectively. We have found a correction between M. hyopneumoniae early infection in suckling pigs and a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) as oppose to farms that did not have a PRDC problem. The strategies to prevent M. hyopneumoniae early infection are to maintain good lactation, antibiotic prevention program and early M. hyopneumoniae展开更多
Dengue is a significant public health concern across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide,principally causing disease in children.Very young children are at increased risk of severe manifestations of dengue infe...Dengue is a significant public health concern across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide,principally causing disease in children.Very young children are at increased risk of severe manifestations of dengue infection.The mechanism of dengue disease in this population is not fully understood.In this study,we present a murine model of dengue virus primary infection in suckling C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice in order to investigate disease pathogenesis.Three-day-old C57BL/6 mice intraperitoneally infected with DENV-2 NGC were more susceptible to infection than BALB/c mice,showing increased liver enzymes,extended viremia,dissemination to organs and histological alterations in liver and small intestine.Furthermore,the immune response in DENV-infected C57BL/6 mice exhibited a marked Th1 bias compared to BALB/c mice.These findings highlight the possibility of establishing an immunocompetent mouse model of DENV-2 infection in suckling mice that reproduces certain signs of disease observed in humans and that could be used to further study agerelated mechanisms of dengue pathogenesis.展开更多
Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)are non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.This study investigated the protective effect of the early-life GOS supplement on t...Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)are non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.This study investigated the protective effect of the early-life GOS supplement on the piglets’gut function against the oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-challenge.Methods:Eighteen neonatal piglets were assigned to three groups including CON,LPS and LPS+GOS groups.The piglets in CON group and LPS group received physiological saline,while those in LPS+GOS group received GOS solution for 13 d after birth.On d 14,the piglets in LPS group and LPS+GOS group were injected with LPS solutions,while the piglets in CON group were injected with the same volume of physiological saline.Results:The results showed that the early-life GOS supplement blocked the LPS-induced reactive oxygen species(ROS)secretion,malondialdehyde(MDA)production and the increase of pro-apoptotic factor expression.Meanwhile,the early-life GOS supplement improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes,disaccharidase enzymes activities,and digestive enzymes activities,and increased the mRNA abundance of the gene related to nutrient digestion and absorption and the relative protein expression of tight junction.The study also showed that the early-life GOS supplement improved the expression of Hemeoxygenase-1(HO-1)and NAD(P)H/quinone acceptor oxidoreductase-1(NQO-1),and activated the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK).Conclusions:These results suggested that GOS enhanced the gut function,reduced the ROS production and proapoptotic factors gene expression,and activated the AMPK signaling pathway in LPS-challenged piglets.展开更多
This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of iron on intestinal epithelium development of suckling piglets. Compared with newborn piglets, 7-day-old and 21-day-old piglets showed changes in the morphology of the j...This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of iron on intestinal epithelium development of suckling piglets. Compared with newborn piglets, 7-day-old and 21-day-old piglets showed changes in the morphology of the jejunum, increased proliferation,differentiated epithelial cells, and expanded enteroids. Intestinal epithelium maturation markers and iron metabolism genes were significantly changed. These results suggest that lactation is a critical stage in intestinal epithelial development, accompanied by changes in iron metabolism. In addition, deferoxamine(DFO) treatment inhibited the activity of intestinal organoids at passage 4(P4) of 0-day-old piglets, but no significant difference was observed in epithelial maturation markers at passage 1(P1) and P4,and only argininosuccinate synthetase 1(Ass1) and β-galactosidase(Gleb) were up-regulated at passage 7(P7). These results in vitro show that iron deficiency may not directly affect intestinal epithelium development through intestinal stem cells(ISCs). The iron supplementation significantly down-regulated the m RNA expression of interleukin-22 receptor subunit alpha-2(IL-22RA2)in the jejunum of piglets. Furthermore, the m RNA expression of IL-22 in 7-day-old piglets was significantly higher than that in0-day-old piglets. Adult epithelial markers were significantly up-regulated in organoids treated with recombinant murine cytokine IL-22. Thus, IL-22 may play a key role in iron-affecting intestinal epithelium development.展开更多
Current study evaluated the effect of a fine and coarsely ground insoluble dietary fibre source on the gastrointestinal development of suckling pigs.Oat hulls(OH)were selected as a model feedstuff,rich in cellulose,li...Current study evaluated the effect of a fine and coarsely ground insoluble dietary fibre source on the gastrointestinal development of suckling pigs.Oat hulls(OH)were selected as a model feedstuff,rich in cellulose,lignin,and insoluble dietary fibre.Three experimental supplemental diets were formulated:a finely ground,low fibre and nutrient dense diet served as control(CON).For the 2 high fibre diets,15%heat-treated starch in CON was exchanged with OH,either finely(OH-f)or coarsely ground(OH-c).Litters of 10 primi-and multiparous sows(mean litter size 14.6±0.84)were used.Within a litter,experimental diets were allotted to triplets of 4 piglets.From approximately 12 d of age,piglets’individual feed intakes were recorded 2 times per day when separated from their dam for 70 min.Piglets could suckle with their dam for the remainder of the day.On d 24 and 25,from the total pool of 120 piglets,seven healthy well-eating piglets per treatment were selected for post-mortem evaluation,resulting in 14 replicates per treatment.Consumption of OH-c and OH-f did not impede clinical health and production performance of piglets.The full stomach weights tended to be greater for OH-c compared to OH-f whereas CON was intermediate(P=0.083).Supplementing OH significantly increased ileal villus height and caecal dry matter concentration(P<0.05).For the colon,OH increased its length,contents weight,short-chain fatty acid concentration and reduced total bacterial count as well asγ-proteobacteria count and proportion(P<0.05).The OH-c treatment specifically increased full gastrointestinal tract weight and caecum contents weight compared to piglets fed CON and OH-f.Furthermore,OH-c reduced colonic crypt depth when compared to OH-f(P=0.018).In conclusion,supplementing OH to a diet for suckling piglets exerted subtle developmental effects on gastrointestinal morphology and colonic microbial community.These effects were largely independent from the particle size of the OH.展开更多
Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)have been shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota of suckling piglets to exert beneficial effects on intestinal function.However,the modulation of intestinal microbiota and ...Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)have been shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota of suckling piglets to exert beneficial effects on intestinal function.However,the modulation of intestinal microbiota and intestinal function by GOS in intestinal inflammation injury models has rarely been reported.In this study,we investigated the effects of GOS on the colonic mucosal microbiota composition,barrier function and inflammatory response of lipopolysaccharides(LPS)-challenged suckling piglets.Methods:A total of 18 newborn suckling piglets were divided into three groups,the CON group,the LPS-CON group and the LPS-GOS group.Piglets in the LPS-GOS group were orally fed with 1 g/kg body weight of GOS solution every day.On the d 14,piglets in the LPS-CON and LPS-GOS group were challenged intraperitoneally with LPS solution.All piglets were slaughtered 2 h after intraperitoneal injection and sampled.Results:We found that the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged piglets was significantly injured and shedding,while the colonic mucosa of the LPS-GOS group piglets maintained its structure.Moreover,GOS significantly reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde(MDA)and the activity of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets,and significantly increased the activity of total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC).GOS significantly increased the relative abundance of norank_f_Muribaculaceae and Romboutsia,and significantly decreased the relative abundance of Alloprevotella,Campylobacter and Helicobacter in the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.In addition,GOS increased the concentrations of acetate,butyrate and total short chain fatty acids(SCFAs)in the colonic digesta of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.GOS significantly reduced the concentrations of interleukin 1β(IL-1β),interleukin 6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and cluster of differentiation 14(CD14),and the relative mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)and myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88)in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets.In addition,GOS significantly reduced the relative mRNA expression of mucin2(MUC2),and significantly increased the protein expression of Claudin-1 and zonula occluden-1(ZO-1)in LPS-challenged suckling piglets.Conclusions:These results suggested that GOS can modulate the colonic mucosa-associated microbiota composition and improve the intestinal function of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.展开更多
The maternal behavior in mammals is one of the most stable and highly conserved motivated species-specific behaviors and crucial for reproductive functions. During maternal behavior nursing and feeding are associated ...The maternal behavior in mammals is one of the most stable and highly conserved motivated species-specific behaviors and crucial for reproductive functions. During maternal behavior nursing and feeding are associated factors with survival of mammalian offspring, mammals nurse their newborn in a wide diversity in the behavioral. In the mother relationship the suckling is the behavioral patterns that identified and unified mammals and showed several selected evolutionary conserved behavior. The milk is an important reward for the pups, it ensure the surviving. The quality of maternal behavior is transmitted between generations;the inadequate maternal care has harmful effects in the adulthood individual. The specific maternal pattern modalities differ greatly between species;the human bonding has underlying biological mechanisms similar in mammals. Maternal brain is modified in order to prepare the mother-pup relationship, being crucial for the adequate behavioral display in the mother-pup relationship. A bulk of surrounding factor such as sensorial stimulus, temperature, ultrasonic communication, and reinforcing stimulus determines the quality of the nursing and care of the progeny. Mother care and nursing quality have long lasting effects in adulthood, determining cognitive and behavioral development and some specific psychiatric and psychological condition in human populations.展开更多
MicroRNAs play important roles in various cellular processes, including differentiation, proliferation and survival. Using a pig model, this study sought to identify the miRNAs responsible for crypt-villus axis renewa...MicroRNAs play important roles in various cellular processes, including differentiation, proliferation and survival. Using a pig model, this study sought to identify the miRNAs responsible for crypt-villus axis renewal of the small intestinal epithelium.Compared to the villus upper cells, there were 15 up-regulated and 41 down-regulated miRNAs in the crypt cells of the jejunum.Notably, we found that miR-100 was expressed more in the villus upper cells than in the crypt cells, suggesting an effect on intestinal epithelium differentiation. Overexpression of miR-100 increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase, confirming that miR-100 promoted IPEC-J2 cell differentiation. MiR-100 can inhibit cell proliferation as evidenced by CCK-8 and cell cycle assay results. We also showed that miR-100 significantly inhibited the migration of IPEC-J2 cells and promoted cell apoptosis through caspase-3-dependent cleavage of Bcl-2. Furthermore, FGFR3 was identified as a potential target of miR-100 by bioinformatics analysis. We confirmed that overexpression of miR-100 suppressed FGFR3 expression in IPEC-J2 cells by directly targeting the FGFR3 3′-UTR. This is the first report of miRNAs acting on the renewal of the intestinal crypt-villus axis.Our results also showed that miR-100 promotes the differentiation and apoptosis, and inhibits the proliferation and migration of enterocytes of pigs.展开更多
Evaluating the feeding value of wet okara as a protein supplement for lactating ewes with twin lambs was the objective. A 4 x 4 Latin square replicated 2 x(4 sheep, 4 treatments, 4 periods per square; 2 squares) was c...Evaluating the feeding value of wet okara as a protein supplement for lactating ewes with twin lambs was the objective. A 4 x 4 Latin square replicated 2 x(4 sheep, 4 treatments, 4 periods per square; 2 squares) was conducted to examine the influence of concentrate mix(okara or not) and type of forage(silage or hay) on ewe milk composition and growth of their lactating lambs. Treatment periods were 14 days(7 days adaptation and 7 days collection). Ewes(55 to 74.8 kg BW) were fed 1 of 4 diets: wheat middling and corn concentrate with mixed grass hay(TSH), okara and corn with mixed grass hay(OSH),soybean and wheat middlings with hay crop silage(TSS), and okara and corn with hay crop silage(OSS).Ewes fed hay diets had lower forage dry matter intakes than ewes fed silage. Intake of okara supplement was higher(P < 0.05) with OSH(3.64 kg/d) than with OSS(1.70 kg/d). There was no difference in supplement intake between TSH and TSS. There were no differences among diets for lamb daily gains or in ewe milk compositions among the diets. Okara is an effective source of protein for lactating ewes and their twin lambs.展开更多
Adjusting foraging strategies is a common phenomenon within groups of animals competing for the same resource.In polytocous mammals,neonates concurrently compete for limited milk and alternate between two foraging(suc...Adjusting foraging strategies is a common phenomenon within groups of animals competing for the same resource.In polytocous mammals,neonates concurrently compete for limited milk and alternate between two foraging(suckling)strategies:adaptable exploratory foraging with random sampling of teats,and ordered foraging with a tendency towards exploiting a particular suckling position.Some theoretical(game theory)models have shown that weaker siblings in particular benefit from foraging specialization(suckling order).Neonate piglets establish a well-defined suckling order that develops gradually and fluctuates throughout the lactation period,implying the existence of inter-individual differences in foraging strategies.We therefore analyzed suckling behavior in pigs to determine whether one foraging strategy was more beneficial to neonates in terms of their body weight and foraging environment.We found that intermediate and heavy littermates tended to adjust their suckling strategy according to the foraging environment;however,the selected foraging strategy did not affect their overall growth performance.Lighter individuals that consumed significantly less milk did not greatly alternate their foraging strategy according to the foraging environment but their growth rate was significantly higher whenever they performed less-exploratory foraging behavior.Although suckling order appeared to be a relatively stable behavioral phenotype,it was beneficial exclusively for weaklings.These results confirm theoretical predictions and indicate that specializing in a suckling position is a beneficial strategy for weaker,light neonates.These findings suggest that physically weaker neonates might have driven the evolution of neonatal foraging specialization.展开更多
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2021YFD1300300)。
文摘Background Physiological changes during lactation cause oxidative stress in sows,reduce immunity,and hamper the growth capacity of piglets.Alpha-glycerol monolaurate(α-GML)has potential for enhancing the antimicrobial activity of sows and the growth of suckling piglets.Methods Eighty sows were allocated randomly to four groups:basal diet and basal diets supplemented with 500,1000,or 2000 mg/kgα-GML.The experiment started on d 85 of gestation and lasted until piglets were weaned on d 21 of lactation.The number of live-born piglets was standardized to 12 tion,body weight of piglets was measured and milk samples±1 per sow on day of parturition.On d 0 and21 of lactawere obtained from sows,and serum samples and feces from piglets were obtained on d 21.Results Feed intake,backfat loss,and weaning estrus interval did not differ among the four groups of sows.Maternalα-GML supplementation increased(P<0.05)the body weight of piglets at weaning and the apparent total tract digestibility of crude fat of sows.The immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G levels were greater(P<0.05)in a quadratic manner in the milk of sows as dietaryα-GML increased.Concerning fatty acid profile,C12:0,C15:0,C17:0,C18:2n6c,C18:3n3,C24:0,and C22:6n3 were higher(P<0.05)in linear and quadratic manners in colostrum of sowsfedα-GML diets compared with the control sows.There was lower(P<0.05)n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio in milk than in the control sows.Maternalα-GML increased the abundance of Firmicutes(P<0.05)and decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria(P<0.05)of piglet fecal microbiota.Conclusions Dietary supplementation withα-GML improved milk immunoglobulins and altered fatty acids of sows,thereby improving the health of piglets.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.31802101)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No.KJQN201935)。
文摘Background Intrauterine growth restriction(IUGR)can cause lipid disorders in infants and have long-term adverse effects on their growth and development.Clostridium butyricum(C.butyricum),a kind of emerging probiotics,has been reported to effectively attenuate lipid metabolism dysfunctions.Therefore,the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of C.butyricum supplementation on hepatic lipid disorders in IUGR suckling piglets.Methods Sixteen IUGR and eight normal birth weight(NBW)neonatal male piglets were used in this study.From d 3to d 24,in addition to drinking milk,the eight NBW piglets(NBW-CON group,n=8)and eight IUGR piglets(IUGR-CON group,n=8)were given 10 mL sterile saline once a day,while the remaining IUGR piglets(IUGR-CB group,n=8)were orally administered C.butyricum at a dose of 2×108colony-forming units(CFU)/kg body weight(suspended in 10 mL sterile saline)at the same frequency.Results The IUGR-CON piglets exhibited restricted growth,impaired hepatic morphology,disordered lipid metabolism,increased abundance of opportunistic pathogens and altered ileum and liver bile acid(BA)profiles.However,C.butyricum supplementation reshaped the gut microbiota of the IUGR-CB piglets,characterized by a decreased abundance of opportunistic pathogens in the ileum,including Streptococcus and Enterococcus.The decrease in these bile salt hydrolase(BSH)-producing microbes increased the content of conjugated BAs,which could be transported to the liver and function as signaling molecules to activate liver X receptorα(LXRα)and farnesoid X receptor(FXR).This activation effectively accelerated the synthesis and oxidation of fatty acids and down-regulated the total cholesterol level by decreasing the synthesis and promoting the efflux of cholesterol.As a result,the growth performance and morphological structure of the liver improved in the IUGR piglets.Conclusion These results indicate that C.butyricum supplementation in IUGR suckling piglets could decrease the abundance of BSH-producing microbes(Streptococcus and Enterococcus).This decrease altered the ileum and liver BA profiles and consequently activated the expression of hepatic LXRαand FXR.The activation of these two signaling molecules could effectively normalize the lipid metabolism and improve the growth performance of IUGR suckling piglets.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China2017YFD0500505the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,China(KYZ201722)
文摘Background: Most research on galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS) has mainly focused on their prebiotic effects on the hindgut,but their beneficial effects on the small intestine(SI) have received little attention.Since jejunum is the important place to digest and absorb nutrients efficiently,optimal maturation of the jejunum is necessary for maintaining the high growth rate in the neonate.Therefore,this study investigates the effect of the early intervention with GOS on the intestinal development of the jejunum.Methods: A total of 6 litters of neonatal piglets(10 piglets per litter; Duroc × Landrace × Large White) with an average birth weight of 1.55 ± 0.05 kg received 1 of 2 treatments based on their assignment to either the control(CON) group or the GOS(GOS) group in each litter.Piglets in the GOS group were orally administrated 10 mL of a GOS solution(reaching 1 g GOS/kg body weight) per day from the age of 1 to 7 d; the piglets in the CON group were treated with the same dose of physiological saline.All piglets were weaned on d 21.On d 8 and 21 of the experimental trial,1 pig per group from each of the 6 litters was euthanized.Results: The early intervention with GOS increased the average daily gains in the third week(P < 0.05).Decreased crypt depth was also observed in the jejunum of the piglets on d 21(P < 0.05).The early intervention with GOS increased the jejunal lactase activity on d 8,maltase activity and sucrase activity on d 21(P < 0.05).In addition,the early intervention with GOS also facilitated the mRNA expression of Sodium glucose co-transporter 1(SGLT1) on d 8 and the m RNA expression of Glucose transporter type 2(GLUT2) on d 21(P < 0.05).It was further determined that GOS up-regulated the m RNA expression of preproglucagon(GCG),insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1),insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor(IGF-1 R) and epidermal growth factor(EGF).GOS also up-regulated the protein expression of glucagon-like peptide-2(GLP-2) and EGF in the jejunum of the piglets.Furthermore,it was also found that GOS enhanced the protein expression of ZO-1 and occludin on d 8(P < 0.05),as well as increased the mRNA expression of TGF-β and decrease the mRNA expression of IL-12(P < 0.05).Conclusions: These results indicate that GOS have a positive effect on piglet growth performance in addition to decreasing the crypt depth and enhancing functional development in jejunum of suckling piglets.
文摘Background:Commercial pre-weaning diets are formulated to be highly digestible and nutrient-dense and contain low levels of dietary fibre.In contrast,pigs in a natural setting are manipulating fibre-rich plant material from a young age.Moreover,dietary fibre affects gastrointestinal tract(GIT)development and health in older pigs.We hypothesised that supplemental diets that contain vegetal fibres are accelerating GIT development in suckling piglets in terms of size and functionality.From d 2 of life,sow-suckled piglets had access to a low fibre diet(CON),a diet with a fermentable long-chain arabinoxylan(lc-AXOS),a diet with a largely non-fermentable purified cellulose(CELL),or a diet containing both fibres.During the initial 2 weeks,the control diet was a high-density milk replacer,followed by a dry and highly digestible creep meal.Upon weaning at 25 d,15 piglets from each treatment group,identified as eaters and originating from six or seven litters,were sacrificed for post-mortem examination of GIT morphology,small intestinal permeability and metabolic profile of the digesta.The microbiota composition of the mid-colon was evaluated in a sub-set of ten piglets.Results:No major statistical interactions between the fibre sources were observed.Piglets consumed the fibrecontaining milk supplements and creep diets well.Stomach size and small intestinal permeability was not affected.Large intestinal fill was increased with lc-AXOS only,while relative large intestinal weight was increased with both fibre sources(P<0.050).Also,CELL decreased ileal pH and tended to increase ileal DM content compared to CON(P<0.050).Moreover,the concentration of volatile fatty acids was increased in the caecum(P<0.100)and midcolon(P<0.050)by addition of CELL.lc-AXOS only stimulated caecal propionate(P<0.050).The microbiota composition showed a high individual variation and limited dietary impact.Nonetheless,CELL induced minor shifts in specific genera,with notable reductions of Escherichia-Shigella.Conclusions:Adding dietary fibres to the supplemental diet of suckling piglets altered large intestinal morphology but not small intestinal permeability.Moreover,dietary fibre showed effects on fermentation and modest changes of microbial populations in the hindgut,with more prominent effects from the low-fermentable cellulose.
文摘The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of M. hyopneumoniae infection in suckling pigs. Nasal swabs were collected from 300 suckling pigs originating from five farrow-to-finishing farms. One farm had a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) and four other farms previously had a PRDC problem (farms B, C, D and E). Thirty (30) lactating sows in parity 1, 2 and 3 were selected from each farm (Ten sows per parity). Two piglets from each sow were randomly sampled for nasal swab at 3 weeks of age. The samples were analyzed by the nested PCR technique. Forty five per cent (27/60) of nasal swabs from farm A were found positive. On the other hand, a total of 2.08 per cent were found positive (5/240) from farm B, C, D and E. The tendency of piglet infection per sow by parity showed that first parity had more prevalence than the second and the third parity (60%, 55%, 20%), respectively. We have found a correction between M. hyopneumoniae early infection in suckling pigs and a confirmed PRDC problem (farm A) as oppose to farms that did not have a PRDC problem. The strategies to prevent M. hyopneumoniae early infection are to maintain good lactation, antibiotic prevention program and early M. hyopneumoniae
基金Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas,Grant/Award Number:PIP0118UBS Optimus Foundation,Grant/Award Number:ID 2007-00206+1 种基金Fundación Bunge y BornFondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica,Grant/Award Number:PICT2008-1073。
文摘Dengue is a significant public health concern across tropical and subtropical regions worldwide,principally causing disease in children.Very young children are at increased risk of severe manifestations of dengue infection.The mechanism of dengue disease in this population is not fully understood.In this study,we present a murine model of dengue virus primary infection in suckling C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice in order to investigate disease pathogenesis.Three-day-old C57BL/6 mice intraperitoneally infected with DENV-2 NGC were more susceptible to infection than BALB/c mice,showing increased liver enzymes,extended viremia,dissemination to organs and histological alterations in liver and small intestine.Furthermore,the immune response in DENV-infected C57BL/6 mice exhibited a marked Th1 bias compared to BALB/c mice.These findings highlight the possibility of establishing an immunocompetent mouse model of DENV-2 infection in suckling mice that reproduces certain signs of disease observed in humans and that could be used to further study agerelated mechanisms of dengue pathogenesis.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China 2017YFE0135200.
文摘Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)are non-digestible food ingredients that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut.This study investigated the protective effect of the early-life GOS supplement on the piglets’gut function against the oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-challenge.Methods:Eighteen neonatal piglets were assigned to three groups including CON,LPS and LPS+GOS groups.The piglets in CON group and LPS group received physiological saline,while those in LPS+GOS group received GOS solution for 13 d after birth.On d 14,the piglets in LPS group and LPS+GOS group were injected with LPS solutions,while the piglets in CON group were injected with the same volume of physiological saline.Results:The results showed that the early-life GOS supplement blocked the LPS-induced reactive oxygen species(ROS)secretion,malondialdehyde(MDA)production and the increase of pro-apoptotic factor expression.Meanwhile,the early-life GOS supplement improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes,disaccharidase enzymes activities,and digestive enzymes activities,and increased the mRNA abundance of the gene related to nutrient digestion and absorption and the relative protein expression of tight junction.The study also showed that the early-life GOS supplement improved the expression of Hemeoxygenase-1(HO-1)and NAD(P)H/quinone acceptor oxidoreductase-1(NQO-1),and activated the AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK).Conclusions:These results suggested that GOS enhanced the gut function,reduced the ROS production and proapoptotic factors gene expression,and activated the AMPK signaling pathway in LPS-challenged piglets.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32130099)the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province (2022RC3060)the Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutritional Physiology and Metabolic Process open fund projects (ISA2020113)。
文摘This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of iron on intestinal epithelium development of suckling piglets. Compared with newborn piglets, 7-day-old and 21-day-old piglets showed changes in the morphology of the jejunum, increased proliferation,differentiated epithelial cells, and expanded enteroids. Intestinal epithelium maturation markers and iron metabolism genes were significantly changed. These results suggest that lactation is a critical stage in intestinal epithelial development, accompanied by changes in iron metabolism. In addition, deferoxamine(DFO) treatment inhibited the activity of intestinal organoids at passage 4(P4) of 0-day-old piglets, but no significant difference was observed in epithelial maturation markers at passage 1(P1) and P4,and only argininosuccinate synthetase 1(Ass1) and β-galactosidase(Gleb) were up-regulated at passage 7(P7). These results in vitro show that iron deficiency may not directly affect intestinal epithelium development through intestinal stem cells(ISCs). The iron supplementation significantly down-regulated the m RNA expression of interleukin-22 receptor subunit alpha-2(IL-22RA2)in the jejunum of piglets. Furthermore, the m RNA expression of IL-22 in 7-day-old piglets was significantly higher than that in0-day-old piglets. Adult epithelial markers were significantly up-regulated in organoids treated with recombinant murine cytokine IL-22. Thus, IL-22 may play a key role in iron-affecting intestinal epithelium development.
文摘Current study evaluated the effect of a fine and coarsely ground insoluble dietary fibre source on the gastrointestinal development of suckling pigs.Oat hulls(OH)were selected as a model feedstuff,rich in cellulose,lignin,and insoluble dietary fibre.Three experimental supplemental diets were formulated:a finely ground,low fibre and nutrient dense diet served as control(CON).For the 2 high fibre diets,15%heat-treated starch in CON was exchanged with OH,either finely(OH-f)or coarsely ground(OH-c).Litters of 10 primi-and multiparous sows(mean litter size 14.6±0.84)were used.Within a litter,experimental diets were allotted to triplets of 4 piglets.From approximately 12 d of age,piglets’individual feed intakes were recorded 2 times per day when separated from their dam for 70 min.Piglets could suckle with their dam for the remainder of the day.On d 24 and 25,from the total pool of 120 piglets,seven healthy well-eating piglets per treatment were selected for post-mortem evaluation,resulting in 14 replicates per treatment.Consumption of OH-c and OH-f did not impede clinical health and production performance of piglets.The full stomach weights tended to be greater for OH-c compared to OH-f whereas CON was intermediate(P=0.083).Supplementing OH significantly increased ileal villus height and caecal dry matter concentration(P<0.05).For the colon,OH increased its length,contents weight,short-chain fatty acid concentration and reduced total bacterial count as well asγ-proteobacteria count and proportion(P<0.05).The OH-c treatment specifically increased full gastrointestinal tract weight and caecum contents weight compared to piglets fed CON and OH-f.Furthermore,OH-c reduced colonic crypt depth when compared to OH-f(P=0.018).In conclusion,supplementing OH to a diet for suckling piglets exerted subtle developmental effects on gastrointestinal morphology and colonic microbial community.These effects were largely independent from the particle size of the OH.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China 2017YFD0500505.
文摘Background:Galacto-oligosaccharides(GOS)have been shown to modulate the intestinal microbiota of suckling piglets to exert beneficial effects on intestinal function.However,the modulation of intestinal microbiota and intestinal function by GOS in intestinal inflammation injury models has rarely been reported.In this study,we investigated the effects of GOS on the colonic mucosal microbiota composition,barrier function and inflammatory response of lipopolysaccharides(LPS)-challenged suckling piglets.Methods:A total of 18 newborn suckling piglets were divided into three groups,the CON group,the LPS-CON group and the LPS-GOS group.Piglets in the LPS-GOS group were orally fed with 1 g/kg body weight of GOS solution every day.On the d 14,piglets in the LPS-CON and LPS-GOS group were challenged intraperitoneally with LPS solution.All piglets were slaughtered 2 h after intraperitoneal injection and sampled.Results:We found that the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged piglets was significantly injured and shedding,while the colonic mucosa of the LPS-GOS group piglets maintained its structure.Moreover,GOS significantly reduced the concentration of malondialdehyde(MDA)and the activity of reactive oxygen species(ROS)in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets,and significantly increased the activity of total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC).GOS significantly increased the relative abundance of norank_f_Muribaculaceae and Romboutsia,and significantly decreased the relative abundance of Alloprevotella,Campylobacter and Helicobacter in the colonic mucosa of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.In addition,GOS increased the concentrations of acetate,butyrate and total short chain fatty acids(SCFAs)in the colonic digesta of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.GOS significantly reduced the concentrations of interleukin 1β(IL-1β),interleukin 6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and cluster of differentiation 14(CD14),and the relative mRNA expression of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)and myeloid differentiation primary response 88(MyD88)in the LPS-challenged suckling piglets.In addition,GOS significantly reduced the relative mRNA expression of mucin2(MUC2),and significantly increased the protein expression of Claudin-1 and zonula occluden-1(ZO-1)in LPS-challenged suckling piglets.Conclusions:These results suggested that GOS can modulate the colonic mucosa-associated microbiota composition and improve the intestinal function of LPS-challenged suckling piglets.
文摘The maternal behavior in mammals is one of the most stable and highly conserved motivated species-specific behaviors and crucial for reproductive functions. During maternal behavior nursing and feeding are associated factors with survival of mammalian offspring, mammals nurse their newborn in a wide diversity in the behavioral. In the mother relationship the suckling is the behavioral patterns that identified and unified mammals and showed several selected evolutionary conserved behavior. The milk is an important reward for the pups, it ensure the surviving. The quality of maternal behavior is transmitted between generations;the inadequate maternal care has harmful effects in the adulthood individual. The specific maternal pattern modalities differ greatly between species;the human bonding has underlying biological mechanisms similar in mammals. Maternal brain is modified in order to prepare the mother-pup relationship, being crucial for the adequate behavioral display in the mother-pup relationship. A bulk of surrounding factor such as sensorial stimulus, temperature, ultrasonic communication, and reinforcing stimulus determines the quality of the nursing and care of the progeny. Mother care and nursing quality have long lasting effects in adulthood, determining cognitive and behavioral development and some specific psychiatric and psychological condition in human populations.
基金supported by the Key Programs of Frontier Scientific Research of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (QYZDYSSW-SMC008)National Program on Key Basic Research Project (2016YFD0500504)+5 种基金National Nature Science Foundation of China (31330075 31572420)Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (2018JJ3094 2018JJ1028)Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Hunan Province, China (18B476)Hunan Provincial Innovation Foundation for Postgraduate (CX2016B172)
文摘MicroRNAs play important roles in various cellular processes, including differentiation, proliferation and survival. Using a pig model, this study sought to identify the miRNAs responsible for crypt-villus axis renewal of the small intestinal epithelium.Compared to the villus upper cells, there were 15 up-regulated and 41 down-regulated miRNAs in the crypt cells of the jejunum.Notably, we found that miR-100 was expressed more in the villus upper cells than in the crypt cells, suggesting an effect on intestinal epithelium differentiation. Overexpression of miR-100 increased the activity of alkaline phosphatase, confirming that miR-100 promoted IPEC-J2 cell differentiation. MiR-100 can inhibit cell proliferation as evidenced by CCK-8 and cell cycle assay results. We also showed that miR-100 significantly inhibited the migration of IPEC-J2 cells and promoted cell apoptosis through caspase-3-dependent cleavage of Bcl-2. Furthermore, FGFR3 was identified as a potential target of miR-100 by bioinformatics analysis. We confirmed that overexpression of miR-100 suppressed FGFR3 expression in IPEC-J2 cells by directly targeting the FGFR3 3′-UTR. This is the first report of miRNAs acting on the renewal of the intestinal crypt-villus axis.Our results also showed that miR-100 promotes the differentiation and apoptosis, and inhibits the proliferation and migration of enterocytes of pigs.
文摘Evaluating the feeding value of wet okara as a protein supplement for lactating ewes with twin lambs was the objective. A 4 x 4 Latin square replicated 2 x(4 sheep, 4 treatments, 4 periods per square; 2 squares) was conducted to examine the influence of concentrate mix(okara or not) and type of forage(silage or hay) on ewe milk composition and growth of their lactating lambs. Treatment periods were 14 days(7 days adaptation and 7 days collection). Ewes(55 to 74.8 kg BW) were fed 1 of 4 diets: wheat middling and corn concentrate with mixed grass hay(TSH), okara and corn with mixed grass hay(OSH),soybean and wheat middlings with hay crop silage(TSS), and okara and corn with hay crop silage(OSS).Ewes fed hay diets had lower forage dry matter intakes than ewes fed silage. Intake of okara supplement was higher(P < 0.05) with OSH(3.64 kg/d) than with OSS(1.70 kg/d). There was no difference in supplement intake between TSH and TSS. There were no differences among diets for lamb daily gains or in ewe milk compositions among the diets. Okara is an effective source of protein for lactating ewes and their twin lambs.
文摘Adjusting foraging strategies is a common phenomenon within groups of animals competing for the same resource.In polytocous mammals,neonates concurrently compete for limited milk and alternate between two foraging(suckling)strategies:adaptable exploratory foraging with random sampling of teats,and ordered foraging with a tendency towards exploiting a particular suckling position.Some theoretical(game theory)models have shown that weaker siblings in particular benefit from foraging specialization(suckling order).Neonate piglets establish a well-defined suckling order that develops gradually and fluctuates throughout the lactation period,implying the existence of inter-individual differences in foraging strategies.We therefore analyzed suckling behavior in pigs to determine whether one foraging strategy was more beneficial to neonates in terms of their body weight and foraging environment.We found that intermediate and heavy littermates tended to adjust their suckling strategy according to the foraging environment;however,the selected foraging strategy did not affect their overall growth performance.Lighter individuals that consumed significantly less milk did not greatly alternate their foraging strategy according to the foraging environment but their growth rate was significantly higher whenever they performed less-exploratory foraging behavior.Although suckling order appeared to be a relatively stable behavioral phenotype,it was beneficial exclusively for weaklings.These results confirm theoretical predictions and indicate that specializing in a suckling position is a beneficial strategy for weaker,light neonates.These findings suggest that physically weaker neonates might have driven the evolution of neonatal foraging specialization.
