Do Herbal Supplements and Probiotics Complement Antibiotics and Diet in the Management of SIBO? A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) arises from dysbiosis in the small intestine, manifesting with abdominal symptoms. This study aims to assess the efficacy of combined antibiotic therapy, herbal supplements, probiotics, and dietary modifications in SIBO management. A total of 179 SIBO-diagnosed patients underwent clinical evaluation and breath testing. Patients were categorized into hydrogen (H2-SIBO) and methane (CH4-SIBO) groups. The control group received standard antibiotic therapy and a low-FODMAP diet, while the intervention group received additional herbal antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics. After treatment, both groups exhibited reduced gas levels, particularly in CH4-SIBO. Clinical remission rates were higher in the intervention group, especially in CH4-SIBO cases. Logistic regression analysis showed gas concentrations at diagnosis as significant predictors of treatment success. In conclusion, adjunctive herbal supplements and probiotics did not significantly impact gas levels, but showed potential for clinical improvement, especially in CH4-SIBO.

Effects of Letrozole Treatment and Vitamin C Supplementation on Morphology, Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Programmed Cell Death, and Oxidative Stress in the Small Intestine of Adult Male Rats.

Estrogens are hormones that play an important role in the digestive tract, including in men. Letrozole is an inhibitor of cytochrome P450 aromatase, an enzyme converting androgens to estrogens. The use of letrozole may cause oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in the cells. Factors modulating cellular stress may include vitamin C. The purpose of this study was to examine whether letrozole and/or vitamin C supplementation can affect the morphology of the small intestine, the parameters of endoplasmic reticulum stress, programmed cell death markers, and oxidative damage. Three-month-old male rats were divided into four groups and treated with the following: (I) CTRL-water; (II) CTRL+C-L-ascorbic acid; (III) LET-letrozole; and (IV) LET+C-letrozole + L-ascorbic acid. The morphometrical measurements included epithelial thickness, crypt and lumen area, crypt perimeter, nuclei number in the crypt, and the cell size of crypts. The expression levels of PERK, caspase-3, and catalase were determined. Significant differences in the morphometrical measurements and immunoexpression were observed. This may indicate that chronic treatment with letrozole can affect morphology and induce ER stress, oxidative stress, and programmed cell death in the epithelial cells of the small intestine of adult male rats. Vitamin C supplementation exerts an effect on some parameters of the molecular processes.

The Postbiotic Butyrate Mitigates Gut Mucosal Disruption Caused by Acute Ethanol Exposure.

We aimed to test how the postbiotic butyrate impacts select gut bacteria, small intestinal epithelial integrity, and microvascular endothelial activation during acute ethanol exposure in mice and primary human intestinal microvascular endothelial cells (HIMECs). Supplementation during an acute ethanol challenge with or without tributyrin, a butyrate prodrug, was delivered to C57BL/6 mice. A separate group of mice received 3 days of clindamycin prior to the acute ethanol challenge. Upon euthanasia, blood endotoxin, cecal bacteria, jejunal barrier integrity, and small intestinal lamina propria dendritic cells were assessed. HIMECs were tested for activation following exposure to ethanol ± lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and sodium butyrate. Tributyrin supplementation protected a butyrate-generating microbe during ethanol and antibiotic exposure. Tributyrin rescued ethanol-induced disruption in jejunal epithelial barrier, elevated plasma endotoxin, and increased mucosal vascular addressin cell-adhesion molecule-1 (MAdCAM-1) expression in intestinal microvascular endothelium. These protective effects of tributyrin coincided with a tolerogenic dendritic response in the intestinal lamina propria. Lastly, sodium butyrate pre- and co-treatment attenuated the direct effects of ethanol and LPS on MAdCAM-1 induction in the HIMECs from a patient with ulcerative colitis. Tributyrin supplementation protects small intestinal epithelial and microvascular barrier integrity and modulates microvascular endothelial activation and dendritic tolerizing function during a state of gut dysbiosis and acute ethanol challenge.

Citrus peel pectin and alginate-based emulgel particles for small intestine-targeted oral delivery of curcumin.

Polysaccharides are a prominent choice in the realm of food-grade oral delivery systems due to their resistance to degradation by digestive enzymes in the oral, gastric, and small intestinal environments, as well as their ease of production, cost-effectiveness, and potential health benefits as prebiotics. Furthermore, their ability to respond to pH-induced dissolution, along with their emulsifying properties, can be strategically employed to achieve precise targeting of lipophilic bioactives to the small intestine. In this study, citrus peel pectin and alginate served as stabilizers for emulgel particles without supplementary emulsifiers or gelling agents. Within this system, pectin functioned as an emulsifier, while alginate acted as a gelling agent, facilitated by Ca2+-induced ionic crosslinking. The synergistic interplay between pectin and alginate efficiently protected curcumin in gastric conditions and controlled dissolution in the small intestine, depending on the pectin/alginate ratio. These controlled phenomena facilitated lipolysis, curcumin release, and ultimately enhanced curcumin bioaccessibility. Furthermore, once the emulgel particle released all the entrapped curcumin in the small intestine, residual polysaccharides underwent facile degradation by pectinase and alginate lyase, yielding fermentable monosaccharides. This confirms the potential of the emulgel particles for use as a prebiotic in the colon. These findings offer significant promise for enhancing the systematic design of food-grade delivery systems that encapsulate lipophilic bioactives, achieving controlled release, enhanced stability, and improved bioaccessibility. Importantly, this system can comprise components that undergo complete digestion, absorption, and utilization in the human body, encompassing materials such as oil, nutraceuticals, and prebiotics, all without presenting health risks.

Effect of Nano-selenium on Biological Mechanism of Goblet Cells of the Small Intestine Within Laying Hen.

Dietary selenium intake within the normal physiological range is critical for various supporting biological functions. However, the effect of nano-selenium on biological mechanism of goblet cells associated with autophagy is largely unknown.The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of nano-selenium on the mucosal immune-defense mechanism of goblet cells (GCs) in the small intestine of laying hens.The autophagy was determined by using specific markers. Nano-selenium-treated group of immunohistochemistry (IHC), immunofluorescence (IF), and western blotting (WB) results indicated the strong positive immune signaling of microtubule-associated light chain (LC3) within the mucosal surface of the small intestine. However, weak expression of LC3 was observed in the 3-methyladenine autophagy inhibitor (3-MA) group. IHC and IF staining results showed the opposite tendency for LC3 of sequestosome 1 (P62/SQSTM1). P62/SQSTM1 showed strong positive immune signaling within the mucosal surface of the small intestine of the 3-MAgroup, and weak immune signaling of P62/SQSTM1 in the nano-selenium-treated group. Moreover, pinpointing autophagy was involved in the mucosal production and enrichment of mucosal immunity of the GCs. The morphology and ultrastructure evidence showed that the mucus secretion of GCs was significantly increased after nano-selenium treatment confirmed by light and transmission electron microscopy. Besides that, immunostaining of IHC, IF and WB showed that autophagy enhanced the secretion of Mucin2 (Muc2) protein in nano-selenium-treated group. This work illustrates that the nano-selenium particle might enhance the mucosal immune-defense mechanism via the protective role of GCs for intestinal homeostasis through autophagy.

Maternal Selenium-Enriched Yeast Supplementation in Sows Enhances Offspring Growth and Antioxidant Status through the Nrf2/Keap1 Pathway.

This study evaluated the effects of maternal selenium-enriched yeast (SeY) supplementation during late gestation and lactation on sow performance, transfer of selenium (Se) and redox status, and gut microbiota community, as well as on the gut health of offspring. Seventy pregnant sows on day 85 of gestation were randomly allocated to the following two treatments: (1) sows who were fed a basal diet (basal diet contained 0.3 mg/kg Se as Na2SeO3, n = 35); (2) and sows who were fed a SeY-supplemented diet (basal diet with 0.2 mg/kg Se as SeY, n = 35). The offspring piglets were only cross-fostered within the group on day 3 of lactation (L3) according to the pig farm epidemic prevention policy. The plasma, milk, and feces samples from 10 sows, as well as plasma and intestinal samples per treatment, were collected on L1 and L21, respectively. Our results showed that maternal SeY supplementation increased the first week average weight and ADG of piglets (p < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the SeY supplementation increased the Se content in the plasma and milk of sows and the plasma of piglets on L1 and L21 (p < 0.05). In addition, in sows, the levels of fat in the milk on L21, the level of IgA, T-AOC, and GSH-Px in the plasma on L21, and the level of T-AOC and GSH-Px in the colostrum were increased, while the MDA content was decreased in the plasma on L1 and in the colostrum and milk on L14 (p < 0.05). In the piglet plasma, the levels of IgA on L1 and L21, GSH-Px on L1, and GSH on L21 were increased, while the MDA content was decreased on L1 (p < 0.05). Maternal SeY supplementation up-regulated the small intestinal protein abundances of MUC1, E-cadherin, ZO-1, occludin, and claudin and activated the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway in weaned offspring piglets. The 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that fecal microbiota had distinct separations during lactation, and the relative abundances of unclassified_f_Lachnospiraceae, Prevotaceae_UCG-001, and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group were increased on L1. Collectively, the current findings suggest that maternal SeY supplementation during late gestation and lactation could improve the piglet's growth performance, Se status, antioxidant capacity and immunoglobulins transfer at the first week of lactation, as well as alter the fecal microbiota composition by increasing antioxidative-related and SCFA-producing microbiota in sows. These changes contributed to enhancing the small intestinal barrier function and activating the Nrf2/Keap1 pathway in offspring.

Antidiarrheal and antioxidant activities of Ajuga iva (L.) leave extract.

We studied the effect of Ajuga iva leaves extract (AIE) on the intestinal absorption, motricity and its antioxidant capacity against diarrhea. Wistar rats were divided and received either: castor oil (CO), CO and loperamide or CO and different doses of AIE. AIE prevented dose-dependently CO-induced diarrhea. AIE at 800 mg/kg showed inhibition efficiency on defecation and diarrhea. The pro-oxidant effect of the CO in the small intestine was inhibited significantly in presence of AIE: increasing glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and lowering oxygen free radicals (OH°, O2°-), carbonyl protein and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. However, co-administration of AIE in castor oil-exposed groups significantly increased the intestinal contents of calcium and magnesium. AIE exhibits significant anti-diarrheal activity, related in part to its antioxidant properties. Our investigation also provides experimental evidence for the traditional use of this medicinal plant in the treatment of diarrhea.

Dietary puerarin supplementation improves immune function in the small intestines of oxidized oil-challenged broilers.

Puerarin has possessed a wide range of pharmacological activities. However, little is known about the protective effects of puerarin on the oxidized oil-induced injury. Here, we describe the anti-inflammatory effects of puerarin in chickens. A total of 360 broilers were arranged in four treatments. Diets included two types of soybean oil (fresh or oxidized) and two levels of puerarin (0 or 750 mg/kg). Results showed that puerarin alleviated oxidized soybean oil-induced intestinal immune injury by decreasing the expressions of HSP and pro-inflammatory factor (P < 0.05) and enhancing the mRNA levels of anti-inflammatory factor and CATH-1 (P < 0.05) in broilers. Moreover, puerarin supplementation decreased the mRNA abundances of TLR4 and MyD88 (P < 0.05) and upregulated the expressions of A20 and SOCS-1 (P < 0.05) in the small intestine of oxidized soybean oil-challenged broilers. Collectively, this study demonstrates puerarin may be a potential nutrient supplement in the treatment of oxidized oil-induced damage in poultry.

The protective effects of ginseng on x-irradiation-induced intestinal damage in rats.

Although radiotherapy is widely employed in the treatment of various malignancies in oncology patients, its use is limited by the toxic effects it causes in surrounding tissues, including the gastrointestinal system. Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) is a traditional drug reported to possess antioxidant and restorative properties in various studies. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the protective effects of KRG against radiation-associated small intestinal damage. Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups. No procedure was performed on Group 1 (control) during the experiment, while Group 2 (x-irradiation) was exposed to radiation only. Group 3 (x-irradiation + ginseng) received ginseng via the intraperitoneal route for a week prior to x-irradiation. The rats were killed 24 h after radiation. Small intestinal tissues were evaluated using histochemical and biochemical methods. An increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and a decrease in glutathione (GSH) were observed in the x-irradiation group compared to the control group. KRG caused a decrease in MDA and caspase-3 activity and an increase in GSH. Our findings show that it can prevent damage and apoptotic cell death caused by x-irradiation in intestinal tissue and can therefore play a protective role against intestinal injury in patients receiving radiotherapy.

The Effect of Copper Nanoparticles and a Different Source of Dietary Fibre in the Diet on the Integrity of the Small Intestine in the Rat.

The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis regarding the effect of recommended (6.5 mg/kg) or enhanced (13 mg/kg) level of CuNPs in the diet in combination with different types of dietary fibre-cellulose (control), inulin, pectin or psyllium-on selected biological parameters of intestinal integrity in rats. Rats were randomly divided into 10 groups. The first two groups were fed a control diet that contained cellulose, and a mineral mixture with standard or enhanced content of CuCO3. Experimental groups were fed a diet supplemented with CuNPs (6.5 or 13 mg/kg) and combined with different types of fibre (cellulose, pectin, inulin or psyllium). After the feeding period, blood and small intestine samples were collected for further analysis. Replacing CuCO3 by CuNPs in the diet positively reduced the level of lactic acid and apoptosis markers in the small intestine; however, it also resulted in the intensification of DNA oxidation. The most beneficial effect on DNA repair mechanisms is related to inulin, while pectin has the greatest ability to inhibit inflammatory processes that induce the apoptotic death of cells in the small intestine. Our results suggest that dietary fibre supplementation protects the small intestine against potentially harmful, oxidative effects of CuNPs by intensifying the intestinal barrier.

Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment of Obesity from "Orchids to Eliminate Stagnant Qi" / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Obesity is a chronic， recurrent， and progressive metabolic disorder characterized by the abnormal or excessive accumulation of body fat caused by multiple factors such as genetics， dietary structure， lifestyle and behavior， psychology， environment， and society， leading to an energy surplus. Obesity is a major risk factor that increases the risk of developing various chronic diseases， including type 2 diabetes， hypertension， cardiovascular diseases， stroke， and certain malignancies. The global incidence of obesity is increasing year by year. With the continuous improvement of people's living standards， more than half of adults in China are now overweight or obese， posing a serious threat to people's health and increasing the social and economic burden. It has become a pressing major public health issue that needs to be addressed urgently. The concept of obesity can be traced back to the Huangdi’s Internal Classic （Huang Di Nei Jing）， which describes it as "the problems in fat and affluent people are caused by excessive taking of rich food"， and suggests that ''frequent intake of rich and greasy foods can produce interior heat. Sweet flavor causes chest fullness. That is why its spleen-Qi flows upwards and changes into consumption-thirst disease. It can be treated by Eupatorii Herba which is used to remove stagnant Qi''. The stagnant qi is caused by the transformation failure of rich and greasy food and wine， so obesity is the disease of stagnant qi. Obesity is caused by indulging in rich and greasy food， wine， spicy and flavorful foods， raw and cold foods， and sweet and greasy foods， or overeating and leading a sedentary lifestyle， staying up late， or experiencing emotional imbalances such as excessive joy， anger， worry， pensiveness， and fear. It can also be caused by congenital abnormalities， leading to improper functioning of the spleen and stomach， dysregulation of the absorption and secretion of the small intestine， and the accumulation of stagnant Qi in the organs and muscles， resulting in a plump physique. The intake of food and drink depends on the functions of the stomach in receiving and decomposing， the small intestine in absorbing and secreting， and the spleen in transforming and transporting. The affected organs in obesity are the spleen， stomach， and small intestine. Orchids， specifically Eupatorii Herba and Lycopi Herba， are aromatic herbs that can regulate the smooth flow of Qi， eliminate stagnation， and cleanse impurities. In a broader sense， any aromatic and pungent substance that can invigorate the spleen， promote clarity， harmonize the stomach， reduce turbidity， and assist in the normal secretion and absorption functions of the small intestine， thereby eliminating excess， is referred to as orchid. Therefore， the treatment principle for obesity is to use ''orchids to eliminate stagnant Qi''， aiming to regulate the functions of the spleen， stomach， and small intestine using aromatic and pungent substances， gradually eliminating excessive dampness， phlegm， turbidity， and heat， and restore the balance of the middle energizer. This way， individuals who are obese can achieve a non-obese state.

Immune-related effects of compound astragalus polysaccharide and sulfated epimedium polysaccharide on newborn piglets.

This study aimed to evaluate the immune effects of compound astragalus polysaccharide and sulfated epimedium polysaccharide (APS-sEPS) on the peripheral blood lymphocyte and intestinal mucosa in newborn piglets. A total of 40 newborn piglets were randomly divided into four groups during a 25-day experiment, including APS-sEPS, APS, sEPS and control group. The results showed that supplementation with APS-sEPS to newborn piglets remarkably increased the physiological parameters, especially the WBC. In peripheral blood, piglets that received APS-sEPS showed the highest proliferation of T lymphocytes, the percentage of CD3 + CD4+ and CD3 + CD8+ cells were the highest on days 15 and 25 (p < 0.05). The serum concentrations of IFN-γ on days 7 and 15, and IL-4, IL-10, sIgA on days 7, 15 and 25 in APS-sEPS group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the villus length and the ratio of villus length to crypt depth in APS-sEPS group were both significantly increased compared to that of control group (p < 0.05). In the duodenum, jejunum and illume, the concentrations of IFN-γ, IL-10, total IgG and sIgA in APS-sEPS group were all significantly higher than that in control group (p < 0.05). In intestinal mucosa, APS-sEPS significantly increased the expression of NF-κB and IRF-3 mRNA in each section of small intestine of piglets. Nevertheless, in the illume segment, the effect of APS-sEPS was more significant than that of APS and sEPS (p < 0.05). The expression of TLR4 was more significant than that of control group in duodenum only. The results from the present research provide evidence that the suckling piglets administered with APS-sEPS supplement exhibited enhanced immune function of peripheral blood lymphocyte and expression of specific antibodies, and ameliorated intestinal morphological development and increased activities of humoral immune response in the small intestine, which would be related to the activation of the TLR4-NF-κB signaling pathway and IRF3.

Selenium Deficiency Promotes the Expression of LncRNA-MORC3, Activating NLRP3-Caspase-1/IL-1ß Signaling to Induce Inflammatory Damage and Disrupt Tight Junctions in Piglets.

Selenium (Se), as a trace element, is widely found in animals in the form of selenomethionine, which can provide nutrition to the body and has anti-inflammatory effects to prevent inflammatory damage in animals. In the past decade, there have been many studies on piglet diseases caused by selenium deficiency; however, under Se deficiency, the relationship between LncRNA-MORC3, inflammatory injury, and tight junctions in piglets has not yet been studied. We established piglet selenium deficiency models divided into three groups and obtained small intestinal tissues after 35 days of feeding. Small intestinal epithelial IPEC-J2 cells were divided into three groups, and samples were collected after 24 h of culture for qPCR and Western blot experiments. First, we found that Se deficiency led to an increase in LncRNA-MORC3 expression in piglets in vivo and in vitro. We found that the binding site of NLRP3 on LncRNA-MORC3 and the expression trends of both were the same: Se deficiency increased the secretion of NLRP3 and the expression levels of the inflammatory factors Caspase-1, ASC, IL-1ß, IL-17, IL-6, IL-10, and TNF-α, which are related to the NLRP3-Caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling pathway. At the same time, Se deficiency decreased the expression levels of the tight junction factors ZO-1, Z0-2, Occludin, E-cadherin, and ZEB-1. This result showed that the tight junctions were disrupted. Herein, we demonstrated that Se deficiency promotes the expression of both LncRNA-MORC3 and inflammatory factors in piglets to activate the NLRP3-Caspase-1/IL-1ß signaling pathway and disrupt tight junctions. Ultimately, these factors lead to inflammatory damage in piglet small intestinal tissues.

Advances of chronic enteropathy associated with SLCO2A1 gene / 国际儿科学杂志

Chronic enteropathy associated with solute carrier organic anion transporter family member 2A1 gene(CEAS)is an autosomal recessive disease caused by SLCO2A1 gene mutation.Characterized by Persistent, intractable, nonspecific intestinal ulcers that lead to chronic loss of blood and protein.At present, pathogenesis of CEAS is still unclear.Endoscopic examination shows specific intestinal ulcers and intestinal stenosis, which mainly involves ileum.Due to its rare occurrence and similar clinical manifestations with Crohn′s disease and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug related bowel disease, it is easy to be confused clinically.No effective treatment has been established, and iron supplementation, blood transfusion and parenteral or enteral nutrition can be given symptomatic treatment.Surgical treatment is feasible in serious condition, however, all of them can only get a temporary effect.Usually, after the end of treatment, the disease relapses, and the life prognosis is not clear.

[Evaluation of resistance to transient occlusion of anterior mesenteric artery under the influence of the course of mineral water enriched with selenium (experimental research)]. / Otsenka ustoichivosti k tranzitornoi okklyuzii perednei bryzheechnoi arterii pod vliyaniem kursa mineral'noi vody, obogashchennoi selenom (eksperimental'noe issledovanie).

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of the preventive course of drinking mineral water enriched with selenium on the processes of resistance to the damaging action of reversible occlusion of the anterior mesenteric artery based on the comparison of intestinal morphological changes in the experiment. MATERIAL AND METHODS: There has been modeled ischemic reperfusion injury of the intestinal wall according to H. Ikeda and co-authors using reversible occlusion of the anterior mesenteric artery with 33 outbred male rats. The rats were divided into four groups by block randomization: the 1st group - intact animals (n=7) - without an exposure; the control group - sham operated animals (n=6); the group of comparison (n=7) - with a model-operation; the experimental group (n=11) - animals with a model operation that had courses of intragastric watering of bottled sulfate-chloride-hydrocarbonate-sodium low-mineralized (2.2 g/l) drinking mineral water «Psyzh¼ enriched with selenium. Biopsies of the small intestine were taken for histological examination. RESULTS: Histological examination of the small intestine of experimental animals determines various degrees of severity of damage: on average, the animals of the experimental group on the scale of C.J. Chiu (1970) had the lowest degree of severity of pathological changes, the animals of the group of comparison - 1.4 times higher (p=0.02). That is, the effect of a preventive course of mineral water «Psyzh¼ enriched with selenium was manifested in the formation of resistance to the damaging effect of reversible occlusion of the anterior mesenteric artery; in the presence of ischemic reperfusion damage to the intestinal wall, comparable in severity to changes with the animals without prevention, the most significant positive effect was realized in the containment of reactive changes. CONCLUSION: The effect of the preventive course of drinking mineral water «Psyzh¼ enriched with selenium manifested itself in the formation of resistance to the damaging effect of reversible occlusion of the anterior mesenteric artery, which is the basis for introducing this technique into clinical practice in order to prevent the development of reperfusion injuries of the intestine.

Mechanistic Study of Coffee Effects on Gut Microbiota and Motility in Rats.

Consumption of coffee has benefits in postoperative ileus. We tested the hypothesis that the benefits may be related to the effects of coffee on gut microbiota and motility and studied the mechanisms of action in rats. The in vitro and in vivo effects of regular and decaffeinated (decaf) coffee on gut microbiota of the ileum and colon were determined by bacterial culture and quantitative RT-PCR. Ileal and colonic smooth muscle contractility was determined in a muscle bath. In the in vivo studies, coffee solution (1 g/kg) was administered by oral gavage daily for 3 days. Compared to regular LB agar, the growth of microbiota in the colon and ileal contents was significantly suppressed in LB agar containing coffee or decaf (1.5% or 3%). Treatment with coffee or decaf in vivo for 3 days suppressed gut microbiota but did not significantly affect gut motility or smooth muscle contractility. However, coffee or decaf dose-dependently caused ileal and colonic muscle contractions in vitro. A mechanistic study found that compound(s) other than caffeine contracted gut smooth muscle in a muscarinic receptor-dependent manner. In conclusion, coffee stimulates gut smooth muscle contractions via a muscarinic receptor-dependent mechanism and inhibits microbiota in a caffeine-independent manner.

Effects of dietary triiodothyronine or dopamine on small intestinal oxygen consumption in chicks.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of triiodothyronine (T3)- or dopamine (Dp)-supplemented diets on oxygen consumption by Na+, K+-ATPase activity in broiler chicks. Five groups, each with twenty-four 6-day-old chicks, randomly received one of the five dietary treatments: (1) Basal diet (commercial broiler rations with 23.0% crude protein and 3,133 kcal metabolizable energy/kg) or CON, (2) basal diet plus 0.7 µmol Dp/kg diet or Dp0.7, (3) basal diet plus 2.4 µmol Dp/kg diet or Dp2.4, (4) basal diet plus 1.9 µmol T3/kg diet or T1.9, and (5) basal diet plus 3.8 µmol T3/kg diet or T3.8 from 6 to 14 days of age. There were four replicates per treatment and 120 birds in total. At 14 days of age, three chicks from each replicate of each treatment were pooled into a flock and fed commercial broiler diets until 7 weeks of age. Compared to CON group, birds fed with T3-supplemented diets had lower thyroid, abdominal fat pad, gizzard and pancreas weight, and heavier heart weight adjusted for fasted body weight. Chicks with T1.9 had lower ileal densities at 14 day old compared with those in Dp groups or CON. Chicks with T3.8 exhibited greater duodenal and jejunal O2 consumptions as well as ouabain-sensitive O2 consumptions of jejunum and small intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) by 46.5%, 58.3%, 40.6%, and 26.4% increases, than those in CON. Partial correlation analysis revealed that the weight and length of the small intestine were negatively correlated with body weight gain. Oxygen consumption in the various small intestinal segments was negatively correlated with their respective densities (mg/mm2). In conclusion, a greater oxygen requirement for maintaining ouabain-sensitive respiration (Na+-K+-ATPase) in the intestine limits energy availability to support gastrointestinal tract growth and, thereby, may result in lower body weight gain.

Protective Effect of Polaprezinc and Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Radiation-induced Small Intestinal Damage in Mice.

BACKGROUND/AIM: To investigate the effect of polaprezinc (antioxidant) administration and hyperbaric oxygen therapy on radiation-induced intestinal injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-five C57BL/6J mice underwent total body radiation of 2 Gy. Polaprezinc was given in 12 mice, hyperbaric oxygen in 12 mice, and both in 12 mice. The other 9 mice did not undergo any treatment. Mice were sacrificed 2, 4, and 6 h after radiation, and 9 specimens (3 each from the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) were harvested. Apoptotic intestinal crypt cells were histologically evaluated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. RESULTS: Apoptotic cell number per 1,000 crypt cells was 31.0±6.7 at 2 h, 28.4±5.2 at 4 h, and 32.9±5.1 at 6 h in the mice group treated by radiation alone. Both polaprezinc administration and hyperbaric oxygen therapy significantly suppressed apoptosis. Although the effect of polaprezinc administration on suppressing apoptosis became less over time (4.9±5.7 and 19.4±13.2 at 2 and 6 h, respectively), that of hyperbaric oxygen therapy was stable regardless of time (23.6±4.8 and 25.8±4.1 at 2 and 6 h). Administration of both polaprezinc and hyperbaric oxygen showed a significant synergetic or additive effect on suppressing apoptosis at 6 h (11.4±10.5, p<0.0035 vs. polaprezinc, p<0.0001 vs. hyperbaric oxygen). CONCLUSION: Both polaprezinc administration and hyperbaric oxygen therapy are effective in relieving radiation-induced small intestinal damage, and a synergistic or additive effect is expected when using both.

Transcriptomic Analysis of the Porcine Gut in Response to Heat Stress and Dietary Soluble Fiber from Beet Pulp.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of heat stress (HS) and the effects of dietary soluble fiber from beet pulp (BP) on gene expression (differentially expressed genes, DEGs) of the porcine jejunum. Out of the 82 DEGs, 47 genes were up-regulated, and 35 genes were downregulated between treatments. The gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were related mainly to the actin cytoskeleton organization and muscle structure development in biological processes, cytoplasm, stress fibers, Z disc, cytoskeleton, and the extracellular regions in cellular composition, and actin binding, calcium ion binding, actin filament binding, and pyridoxal phosphate binding in the molecular function. The KEGG pathway analysis showed that the DEGs were involved in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, dilated cardiomyopathy, vascular smooth muscle contraction, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, mucin type O-glycan biosynthesis, and African trypanosomiasis. Several of the genes (HSPB6, HSP70, TPM1, TAGLN, CCL4) in the HS group were involved in cellular oxidative stress, immune responses, and cellular differentiation. In contrast, the DEGs in the dietary BP group were related to intestinal epithelium integrity and immune response to pathogens, including S100A2, GCNT3, LYZ, SCGB1A1, SAA3, and ST3GAL1. These findings might help understand the HS response and the effect of dietary fiber (DF) regarding HS and be a valuable reference for future studies.

Influence of fermented feed additive on gut morphology, immune status, and microbiota in broilers.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of a solid-state fermented feed additive (FFA) on the small intestine histology/morphology, immunity and microbiota of broilers. Two hundred eighty-eight day-old Arbor Acre chicks, were randomly assigned to one of four groups (each group has 6 replicates, with each replicate containing 12 chickens). The negative control (NC; basal diet), the positive control (PC; basal diet +antibiotic 15 ppm), the fermented feed additive low dose (FFL; basal diet + 0.3 kg/t FFA), and the fermented feed additive high dose (FFH; 3 kg/t FFA) with Lactobacillus casei (L.casei). RESULTS: The study found that the FFH and FFL groups gained more weight (1-21d) and the FFL and PC diets had better feed conversion ratio (P < 0.05) than the NC from 0-42d. The FFH group had higher villus height (P < 0.05) in the duodenum than the PC and villus height to crypt depth ratio VH/CD compared to PC and FFL groups. The FFL chickens had greater (P < 0.05) jejunal and ileal villus height than PC and NC groups respectively. The FFL group had a higher ileal VH/CD ratio (P < 0.05). Jejunum VH/CD was higher in FFL and FFH (P < 0.05) than PC (P < 0.05). FFH had a smaller thymus than NC (P < 0.05). FFA diets also increased IL-10 expression (P < 0.05). While IL-1 and TLR4 mRNA expression decreased (P < 0.05) compared to NC. The microbiota analysis showed that the microorganisms that have pathogenic properties such as phylum Delsulfobacterota and class Desulfovibriona and Negativicutes was also significantly reduced in the group treated with FFH and PC while microorganisms having beneficial properties like Lactobacillaceae family, Lactobacillus aviarus genus and Lactobacillus spp were also tended to increase in the FFH and FFL fermented feed groups compared to the PC and NC groups. CONCLUSION: These findings suggested that the FFA diet may modulate cecal microbiota by reducing pathogenic microorganisms such as phylum Delsulfobacterota and class Desulfovibriona and Negativicutes improve beneficial microorganisms like Lactobacillaceae family, Lactobacillus aviarus genus and Lactobacillus spp. While FFA diet also affect immunity, and gene expression related to immunity.