Dietary Moutan Cortex Radicis Improves Serum Antioxidant Capacity and Intestinal Immunity and Alters Colonic Microbiota in Weaned Piglets.

Background: Moutan cortex radicis (MCR), as a common traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used as an antipyretic, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory agent in China. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary MCR supplementation on the antioxidant capacity and intestinal health of the pigs and to explore whether MCR exerts positive effects on intestinal health via regulating nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and intestinal microbiota. Methods: MCR powder was identified by LC-MS analysis. Selected 32 weaned piglets (21 d of age, 6.37 ± 0.10 kg average BW) were assigned (8 pens/diet, 1 pig/pen) to 4 groups and fed with a corn-soybean basal diet supplemented with 0, 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 mg/kg MCR for 21 d. After the piglets were sacrificed, antioxidant indices, histomorphology examination, and inflammatory signaling pathway expression were assessed. The 16s RNA sequencing was used to analyze the effects of MCR on the intestinal microbiota structure of piglets. Results: Supplemental 4,000 mg/kg MCR significantly increased (P < 0.05) the average daily weight gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), total antioxidative capability, colonic short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentrations, and the crypt depth in the jejunum but decreased (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression levels of interferon γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1ß, inhibiting kappa-B kinase ß (IKKß), inhibiting nuclear factor kappa-B (IκBα), and NF-κB in the jejunum and ileum. Microbiota sequencing identified that MCR supplementation significantly increased the microbial richness indices (Chao1, ACE, and observed species, P < 0.05) and the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus (P < 0.05), decreased the relative abundances of Bacteroides, Parabacteroides, unidentified_Lachnospiraceae, and Enterococcus (P < 0.05) and had no significant effects on the diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson, P > 0.05). Microbial metabolic phenotypes analysis also showed that the richness of aerobic bacteria and facultative anaerobic bacteria, oxidative stress tolerance, and biofilm forming were significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the richness of anaerobic bacteria and pathogenic potential of gut microbiota were reduced (P < 0.05) by MCR treatment. Regression analysis showed that the optimal MCR supplemental level for growth performance, serum antioxidant capacity, and intestinal health of weaned piglets was 3,420 ~ 4,237 mg/kg. Conclusions: MCR supplementation improved growth performance and serum antioxidant capacity, and alleviated intestinal inflammation by inhibiting the IKKß/IκBα/NF-κB signaling pathway and affecting intestinal microbiota in weaned piglets.

Effects of different concentrations of coated nano zinc oxide material on fecal bacterial composition and intestinal barrier in weaned piglets.

BACKGROUND: Coated nano zinc oxide (Cnz) is a new feed or food additive, which is a potential replacement for a pharmacological dose level of ZnO. This study evaluated the positive effects of different concentrations of Cnz on the intestinal bacterial core, enterobacterial composition and mucosal barrier function in a pig model. RESULTS: Microbiota sequencing results showed that Cnz could significantly alter the intestinal microbiota composition and metabolism. Besides increasing the richness indices (ACE and Chao1), 10% Cnz could protect the intestinal mucosal barrier through increasing the expression of occludin and zonula occludens-1 in the small intestine, increase the abundance of Lachnospiraceae UCG-004 and decrease the abundance of Ruminococcus flavefaciens compared to high ZnO diet and 5% Cnz material. CONCLUSIONS: Cnz material at 10% supplementation is more effective than a level of 5% Cnz in increasing intestinal barrier through affecting gut microbiota. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Imbalanced dietary methionine-to-sulfur amino acid ratio can affect amino acid profiles, antioxidant capacity, and intestinal morphology of piglets.

Animal protein sources such as fishmeal and plasma powder are excellent and indispensable sources of energy, amino acids, and minerals in animal production. Amino acid imbalance, especially methionine-to-sulfur amino acid (Met:SAA) ratio, caused by an imbalance of animal protein meal leads to growth restriction. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of imbalanced Met:SAA ratio supplementation of different animal protein source diets on growth performance, plasma amino acid profiles, antioxidant capacity and intestinal morphology in a piglet model. Twenty-four weaned piglets (castrated males; BW = 10.46 ± 0.34 kg), assigned randomly into 3 groups (8 piglets/group), were fed for 28 d. Three experimental diets of equal energy and crude protein levels were as follows: 1) a corn-soybean basal diet with a Met:SAA ratio at 0.51 (BD); 2) a plasma powder diet with a low Met:SAA ratio at 0.41 (L-MR); 3) a fishmeal diet with a high Met:SAA ratio at 0.61 (H-MR). Results revealed that compared to BD, L-MR significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the activities of plasma total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase, plasma amino acid profiles, and significantly reduced (P < 0.05) villus height and crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum. Additionally, L-MR significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the mRNA expression level of solute carrier family 7 member 9 (SlC7A9) in the ileum, and significantly increased (P < 0.05) mRNA expression levels of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the duodenum, and Claudin-1, ZO-1, sodium-coupled neutral amino acid transporters 2 (SNAT2) and SlC7A7 in the jejunum. H-MR significantly increased (P < 0.05) plasma SAA levels, and significantly reduced (P < 0.05) average daily feed intake, villus height, and villus height-to-crypt depth (VH:CD) ratio in the ileum compared to BD. In conclusion, L-MR may result in oxidative stress and villous atrophy but proves beneficial in improving intestinal barrier function and the activity of amino acid transporters for compensatory growth. H-MR may impair intestinal growth and development for weaned piglets. The research provides a guidance on the adequate Met:SAA ratio (0.51) supplementation in diet structure for weaned piglets.

Influence of supplemented coated-cysteamine on morphology, apoptosis and oxidative stress status of gastrointestinal tract.

BACKGROUND: Cysteamine was coated to cover its odor and maintain the stability. However, coated cysteamine (CC) has not been clearly evaluated for its effects on the gastrointestinal mucosa status. We hypothesize that the appropriate CC supplementation in diet impacts the stomach and intestinal mucosa variously through regulating the morphology, apoptosis, and oxidative stress status in model of pigs. RESULTS: The results showed that villus height increased (P < 0.05), and crypt depth decreased (P < 0.05) in the ileum when pigs were fed the diet with low cysteamine (LCS) compared with the control diet. The ileal lesion score in the LCS group was significantly (P < 0.01) lower than that in the control group, while the gastric lesion score in the CC group was significantly (P < 0.01) higher compared with that of the control group. It also showed that the activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and diamine oxidase (DAO) were upregulated (P < 0.05) in the LCS group. In addition, Bax and caspase 3 immunore-activity increased (P < 0.01), and Bcl-2 immunoreactivity decreased (P < 0.01) in the gastric mucosa of pigs fed the diet with high cysteamine (HCS). The Bax and caspase 3 immunoreactivity decreased (P < 0.01), and Bcl-2 immunoreactivity increased (P < 0.01) in ileum mucosa of pigs fed the HCS diet. CONCLUSIONS: Although moderate dietary coated cysteamine showed positive effects on GI mucosal morphology, apoptosis, and oxidative stress status, the excess coated cysteamine may cause apoptosis leading to GI damage in pigs.

Use of coated nano zinc oxide as an additive to improve the zinc excretion and intestinal morphology of growing pigs1.

Two experiments were designed to explore the effects of coated zinc (Zn) oxide nanoparticles (NZO) on the diarrhea ratio, antioxidant capacity, intestinal morphology, and zinc excretion in growing pigs. In Exp.1, 270 growing pigs (21.88 ± 0.8 kg initial BW) were allocated to three treatments, each for 30 d: (i) control group (CG), basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 100 mg Zn/kg from ZnSO4; (ii) high Zn (HZN), basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 2,250 mg Zn/kg from ZnO; (iii) coated nano ZnO (CNZO), basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 100 mg Zn/kg from coated NZO. In Exp.2, 21 crossbred growing pigs (17.04 ± 0.01 kg initial BW) were allocated to three treatments, each for 28 d: (i) HZN, basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 2,250 mg Zn/kg from ZnO; (ii) low concentration of nano ZnO (LNZO), basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 100 mg Zn/kg from 5% coated NZO material; (iii) high concentration of nano ZnO (HNZO), basal diet containing Zn-free premix + 100 mg Zn/kg from 10% coated NZO material. In Exp. 1, compared with the CG diet, CNZO significantly reduced the diarrhea rate (P < 0.05) and increased the activities of glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (P < 0.05). Compared with HZN, CNZO decreased the activities of serum alanine aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase, as well as the fecal zinc concentration (P < 0.05). In Exp. 2, pigs fed LNZO or HNZO had an increased final BW, average daily weigh and diarrhea rate, and a decreased level of Zn in the plasma, liver, and feces on day 14 compared with the HZN group (P < 0.05). The villous height and villous height/crypt depth ratio of duodenum were higher (P < 0.05) in the HZN group than the HNZO group, whereas the higher villous height of jejunum was observed in the LNZO group compared with that in the HNZO group (P < 0.05). We found that CNZO (100 mg/kg Zn) could improve the antioxidant capacity and reduce fecal Zn emission. However, the diarrhea rate was not effectively suppressed when compared with the HNZO supplementation. Furthermore, coated NZO material of 5% concentration is more effective in improving the morphology of intestinal villus.

Effects of dietary coated cysteamine hydrochloride on pork color in finishing pigs.

BACKGROUND: Coated cysteamine hydrochloride (CC) was applied as a feed additive in animal production. The influence and the mechanisms of CC used as a feed additive in promoting meat quality in finishing pigs were investigated. RESULTS: Dietary CC supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the a* and H* values and reduced (P < 0.05) the L* value in the longissimus dorsi muscles at 48 h postmortem (P < 0.05). The deoxymyoglobin content was enhanced (P < 0.05) and the metmyoglobin and malondialdehyde contents were reduced (P < 0.05) in pigs fed the dietary CC. Pigs fed a dietary CC of 0.035 g kg-1 had a lower cooking loss (P < 0.05) and a higher a* (24 h) value in the longissimus dorsi muscles than pigs on control treatment. The messenger RNA expression of superoxide dismutase 1 was upregulated (P < 0.05) in the longissimus dorsi. CONCLUSION: Dietary supplementation with CC could improve antioxidant status and delay meat discoloration by improving glutathione levels and antioxidase activity after longer chill storage (for 48 h after slaughter). Dietary supplementation with CC at 0.035 g kg-1 may promote the stability of pork color by reducing oxidation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

A review of the immunomodulatory role of dietary tryptophan in livestock and poultry.

Tryptophan, a nutritionally essential amino acid, is active in the regulation of immune responses in animals. The products of tryptophan metabolism, such as indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase, kynurenine, quinolinic acid, and melatonin, may improve immunity in an organism and induce anti-inflammatory responses. The immune tolerance processes mediated by tryptophan metabolites are not well understood. Recent studies have reported that the enzymes that break down tryptophan through the kynurenine metabolic pathway are found in numerous cell types, including immunocytes. Moreover, some tryptophan metabolites have been shown to play a role in the inhibition of T lymphocyte proliferation, elevation of immunoglobulin levels in the blood, and promotion of antigen-presenting organization in tissues. This review summarizes the effects and mechanisms of tryptophan and metabolites in immune functions in livestock and poultry. It also highlights the areas in which our understanding of the role(s) of tryptophan is incomplete and suggests possible future research that might prove of benefit to livestock and poultry producers.

Effect of High Dietary Tryptophan on Intestinal Morphology and Tight Junction Protein of Weaned Pig.

Tryptophan (Trp) plays an essential role in pig behavior and growth performances. However, little is known about Trp's effects on tight junction barrier and intestinal health in weaned pigs. In the present study, twenty-four (24) weaned pigs were randomly assigned to one of the three treatments with 8 piglets/treatments. The piglets were fed different amounts of L-tryptophan (L-Trp) as follows: 0.0%, 0.15, and 0.75%, respectively, named zero Trp (ZTS), low Trp (LTS), and high Trp (HTS), respectively. No significant differences were observed in average daily gain (ADG), average daily feed intake (ADFI), and gain: feed (G/F) ratio between the groups. After 21 days of the feeding trial, results showed that dietary Trp significantly increased (P < 0.05) crypt depth and significantly decreased (P < 0.05) villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH/CD) in the jejunum of pig fed HTS. In addition, pig fed HTS had higher (P < 0.05) serum diamine oxidase (DAO) and D-lactate. Furthermore, pig fed HTS significantly decreased mRNA expression of tight junction proteins occludin and ZO-1 but not claudin-1 in the jejunum. The number of intraepithelial lymphocytes and goblet cells were not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the groups. Collectively, these data suggest that dietary Trp supplementation at a certain level (0.75%) may negatively affect the small intestinal structure in weaned pig.