Bovine milk-based formula leads to early maturation-like morphological, immunological, and functional changes in the jejunum of neonatal piglets.

Artificial rearing and formula feeding is coming more into the focus due to increasing litter sizes and limited nursing capacity of sows. The formula composition is important to effectively support the development of the gut and prevent intestinal dysfunction in neonatal piglets. In this study, newborn piglets ( = 8 per group) were fed a bovine milk-based formula (FO), containing skimmed milk and whey as the sole protein and carbohydrate sources, or were suckled by the sow (sow milk [SM]). After 2 wk, tissue from the jejunum was analyzed for structural (i.e., morphometry) and functional (i.e., disaccharidase activity, glucose transport, permeability toward macromolecules, and immune cell presence) changes and concomitant expression of related genes. Formula-fed piglets had more liquid feces ( < 0.05) over the entire experimental period. Although FO contained twice as much lactose (46% on a DM basis) as SM (21%) and no maltose or starch, the lactase activity was lower ( < 0.05) and glucose transport capacity was higher ( < 0.05) in FO-fed pigs. The relative proportion of intraepithelial natural killer cells and proinflammatory cytokine gene expression (, , and ) was higher in FO-fed pigs ( < 0.05). Piglets fed FO had deeper crypts, larger villus area, and higher expression of caspase 3 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen ( < 0.05). Epithelial permeability toward fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran was higher and expression of claudin-4 was lower in FO-fed piglets ( < 0.05). The data suggest an early response to bovine milk-based compounds in the FO accompanied with early onset of functional maturation and impaired barrier function. Whether lactose, absence of species-specific protective factors, or antigenicity of foreign proteins lead to to the observed intestinal reactions requires further clarification.

A novel lineage transcription factor based analysis reveals differences in T helper cell subpopulation development in infected and intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) piglets.

Research in mouse and human clearly identified subsets of T helper (Th) cells based on nuclear expression of specific lineage transcription factors. In swine, however, transcription factor based detection of functional subpopulations of porcine Th cells by flow cytometry is so far limited to regulatory T cells via Foxp3. T-bet and GATA-3 are the transcription factors that regulate commitment to Th1 or Th2 cells, respectively. In this study we prove GATA-3 and T-bet expression in porcine CD4(+) cells polarized in vitro. Importantly, GATA-3 and T-bet expressing cells were detectable in pigs infected with pathogens associated with Th2 and Th1 immune responses. Increased frequencies of GATA-3 positive CD4(+) cells are found in vivo in pigs experimentally infected with the nematode Trichuris suis, whereas porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection elicited T-bet positive CD4(+) T cells. Analysing the immune status of pre-weaning piglets with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) we found an increased expression of Foxp3, T-bet and GATA-3 in CD4(+) and CD4(+)CD8(+) double-positive T cells in systemic and intestinal compartments of IUGR piglets. Hence, we established the detection of porcine Th1 and Th2 cells via T-bet and GATA-3 and show that the porcine lineage transcription factors are differentially regulated very early in life depending on the developmental status.

Cross-talk Between Host, Microbiome and Probiotics: A Systems Biology Approach for Analyzing the Effects of Probiotic Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 in Piglets.

A comprehensive data-set from a multidisciplinary feeding experiment with the probiotic Enterococcus faecium was analyzed to elucidate effects of the probiotic on growing piglets. Sixty-two piglets were randomly assigned to a control (no probiotic treatment) and a treatment group (E. faecium supplementation). Piglets were weaned at 26 d. Age-matched piglets were sacrificed for the collection of tissue samples at 12, 26, 34 and 54 d. In addition to zootechnical data, the composition and activity of intestinal microbiota, immune cell types, and intestinal responses were determined. Our systems analysis revealed clear effects on several measured variables in 26 and 34 days old animals, while response patterns varied between piglets from different age groups. Correlation analyses identified reduced associations between intestinal microbial communities and immune system reactions in the probiotic group. In conclusion, the developed model is useful for comparative analyses to unravel systems effects of dietary components and their time resolution. The model identified that effects of E. faecium supplementation most prominently affected the interplay between intestinal microbiota and the intestinal immune system. These effects, as well as effects in other subsystems, clustered around weaning, which is the age where piglets are most prone to diarrhea.

Bacillus cereus var. Toyoi modulates the immune reaction and reduces the occurrence of diarrhea in piglets challenged with Salmonella Typhimurium DT104.

A feeding trial with sows and their piglets was performed with the probiotic feed additive Bacillus cereus var. Toyoi in two consecutive experimental periods. Sows (n = 8) were allocated into treatment (Bc) and control (CO) groups. Sows of Bc group (n = 4) were fed 3.14 × 10(5) cfu/g Bacillus cereus var. Toyoi with the diet from d 87 of pregnancy on. Their piglets received Bacillus cereus var. Toyoi supplemented feed (8.7 × 10(5) cfu/g) starting on d 14 of life and further on after weaning (6.5 × 10(5) cfu/g), whereas sows and piglets of the CO group remained untreated. One day after weaning, piglets from both groups (n = 24 each) were challenged orally with Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 (3 × 10(9) viable bacteria). Health status, shedding of B. cereus in the feces, and performance of the piglets were monitored. At 24 h, 72 h, 6 d, and 28 d postinfection (PI), six piglets from each group were euthanized and cell counts of Salmonellae were determined in the colon contents, mesenteric lymph nodes, and tonsils. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells and jejunal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) were analyzed by flow cytometry. The incidence of scours was lower in the Bc group than in the CO group (P = 0.004). In addition, the fecal shedding of Salmonella was significantly lower in the Bc group at 25 d PI (P = 0.004). Shortly after infection, the γδ T cells were significantly less frequent in the blood of Bc piglets. For both CD8-positive γδ T cells (P = 0.033) and CD8-negative γδ T cells (P = 0.028), significant differences were observed. Furthermore, 28 d PI piglets from the treated group showed lower numbers of γδ T cells in the jejunal epithelium (P = 0.036). To investigate the role of intestinal γδ T cells during the infection with S. Typhimurium, IEL were gained from six healthy 40-d-old piglets and infected in vitro with S. Typhimurium. CD8ß cells and γδ T cells were detected by flow cytometry and the infection rates of both populations in the cell suspensions were compared. The infection rate (IR) of γδ T cells was higher in all six cell suspensions than the IR of CD8ß expressing T cells (P = 0.002). In conclusion, B. cereus var. Toyoi supplementation of sows and their piglets had a positive impact on the health status of the piglets after a challenge with Salmonella, likely due to an altered immune response marked by reduced frequencies of CD8+ γδ T cells in the peripheral blood and the jejunal epithelium.

Proliferation capacity of T-lymphocytes is affected transiently after a long-term weight gain in Beagle dogs.

Across species obesity is associated with several disorders but in companion animals little information is available on the impact of chronic obesity on immune competence. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether weight gain and stable obese bodyweight affects the immune cell response. Obesity was induced in eight adult healthy beagle dogs (weight gain group; WGG) by a weight gain period (WGP) of 47 weeks, which was immediately followed by a period (stable period: SP) of stable obesity of 26 weeks. Eight adult healthy beagle dogs were included as a control group (CG) and remained at their ideal bodyweight throughout the entire study. Body composition was measured at five intervening time-points. Concentration of serum leptin and inflammatory cytokines, functionality of lymphocytes and phagocytic activity of neutrophils and monocytes were evaluated at ten intervening time-points. Serum leptin concentration was rising during the WGP in the WGG but went to lower concentrations during the SP. At the end of long-term weight gain, a decreased mitogen-induced proliferation of T-lymphocytes was noted but this alteration seemed to be transient after stabilization of bodyweight. This finding may imply an altered immune response for dogs with different energy balances. However, no systemic low grade inflammation or alteration in other immune cell functions was observed. Consequently it is suggested that the change in energy balance during the onset of obesity (becoming obese versus being obese), evokes an additional obesity-related disorder in dogs, i.e. impaired T-lymphocyte immune function.