Effects of dietary Bacillus amyloliquefaciens supplementation on growth performance,intestinal morphology, inflammatory response, and microbiota of intra-uterine growth retarded weanling piglets

Background: The focus of recent research has been directed toward the probiotic potential of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens(BA) on the gut health of animals. However, little is known about BA's effects on piglets with intra-uterine growth retardation(IUGR). Therefore, this study investigated the effects of BA supplementation on the growth performance,intestinal morphology, inflammatory response, and microbiota of IUGR piglets.Methods: Eighteen litters of newborn piglets were selected at birth, with one normal birth weight(NBW) and two IUGR piglets in each litter(i.e., 18 NBW and 36 IUGR piglets in total). At weaning, the NBW piglet and one of the IUGR piglets were assigned to groups fed a control diet(i.e., the NBW-CON and IUGR-CON groups). The other IUGR piglet was assigned to a group fed the control diet supplemented with 2.0 g BA per kg of diet(i.e., IUGR-BA group). The piglets were thus distributed across three groups for a four-week period.Results: IUGR reduced the growth performance of the IUGR-CON piglets compared with the NBW-CON piglets. It was also associated with decreased vil us sizes, increased apoptosis rates, reduced goblet cel numbers, and an imbalance between pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines in the smal intestine. Supplementation with BA improved the average daily weight gain and the feed efficiency of the IUGR-BA group compared with the IUGR-CON group(P < 0.05). The IUGR-BA group exhibited increases in the ratio of jejunal vil us height to crypt depth, in ileal vil us height, and in ileal goblet cel density. They also exhibited decreases in the numbers of jejunal and ileal apoptotic cel s and ileal proliferative cel s(P < 0.05). Supplementation with BA increased interleukin 10 content, but it decreased tumor necrosis factor alpha level in the smal intestines of the IUGR-BA piglets(P < 0.05). Furthermore, compared with the IUGR-CON piglets, the IUGR-BA piglets had less Escherichia coli in their jejunal digesta, but more Lactobacil us and Bifidobacterium in their ileal digesta(P < 0.05).Conclusions: Dietary supplementation with BA improves morphology, decreases inflammatory response, and regulates microbiota in the smal intestines of IUGR piglets, which may contribute to improved growth performance during early life.

Comparison of the protective effects of resveratrol and pterostilbene against intestinal damage and redox imbalance in weanling piglets

Background: Evidence indicates that early weaning predisposes piglets to intestinal oxidative stress and increases the risk of intestinal dysfunction;however, there are minimal satisfactory treatment strategies for these conditions.This study investigated the potential of resveratrol and its analog, pterostilbene, as antioxidant protectants for regulating intestinal morphology, barrier function, and redox status among weanling piglets.Methods: A total of 144 piglets were selected at 21 days of age and randomly allocated into one of four treatment groups, each of which included six replicates. Piglets in a sow-reared control group were suckling normally between ages 21 and 28 days, while those in weaned groups were fed a basal diet, supplemented with either 300 mg/kg of resveratrol or with 300 mg/kg of pterostilbene. Parameters associated with intestinal injury and redox status were analyzed at the end of the feeding trial.Results: Early weaning disrupted the intestinal function of young piglets, with evidence of increased diamine oxidase activity and D-lactate content in the plasma, shorter villi, an imbalance between cell proliferation and apoptosis, an impaired antioxidant defense system, and severe oxidative damage in the jejunum relative to suckling piglets. Feeding piglets with a resveratrol-supplemented diet partially increased villus height(P = 0.056) and tended to diminish apoptotic cell numbers(P = 0.084) in the jejunum compared with those fed a basal diet. Similarly, these beneficial effects were observed in the pterostilbene-fed piglets. Pterostilbene improved the feed efficiency of weanling piglets between the ages of 21 and 28 days;it also resulted in diminished plasma diamine oxidase activity and D-lactate content relative to untreated weaned piglets(P < 0.05). Notably, pterostilbene restored jejunal antioxidant capacity, an effect that was nearly absent in the resveratrol-fed piglets. Pterostilbene reduced the malondialdehyde and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine contents of jejunal mucosa possibly through its regulatory role in facilitating the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 and the expression levels of NAD(P)H quinone dehydrogenase 1 and superoxide dismutase 2(P < 0.05).Conclusions: The results indicate that pterostilbene may be more effective than its parent compound in alleviating early weaning-induced intestinal damage and redox imbalance among young piglets.

Resveratrol and its derivative pterostilbene ameliorate intestine injury in intrauterine growth-retarded weanling piglets by modulating redox status and gut microbiota

Background:Intestinal disorder is an important factor contributing to growth lag and high rates of morbidity and mortality of piglets with intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR).Resveratrol(RSV)and its derivative pterostilbene(PT)are natural stilbenes possessing various bioactivities,such as antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects.This study compared the protective potential of RSV and PT on the intestinal redox status and gut microbiota in weanling piglets with IUGR.Methods:Eighteen male piglets of normal body weight(NBW)and 54 same-sex IUGR piglets were chosen according to their birth and weaning weights.The NBW piglets accepted a basal diet,while the IUGR piglets were allotted to one of three groups according to their body weight at weaning and received a basal diet,an RSV-supplemented diet(300 mg/kg),or a PT-supplemented diet(300 mg/kg),respectively.Results:Compared with IUGR piglets,both RSV and PT improved the IUGR-associated decrease in jejunal villus height and increases in plasma diamine oxidase activity and D-lactate level and jejunal apoptosis of piglets(P<0.05).Administering RSV and PT also enhanced jejunal superoxide dismutase activity and the mRNA and protein expression of superoxide dismutase 2 of IUGR piglets by promoting nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)nuclear translocation(P<0.05).Comparatively,PT was more effective than RSV in elevating the villus height/crypt depth ratio and occludin mRNA and protein levels in the jejunum of IUGR piglets(P<0.05).PT was also superior to RSV in increasing Nrf2 nuclear translocation and inhibiting malondialdehyde accumulation in the jejunum of IUGR piglets(P<0.05).Additionally,RSV modulated the composition of cecal microbiota of IUGR piglets,as evidenced by increasing the prevalence of the phylum Bacteroidetes and the genera Prevotella,Faecalibacterium,and Parabacteroides and inhibiting the growth of the phylum Proteobacteria and its genera Escherichia and Actinobacillus(P<0.05).Moreover,RSV significantly increased the butyrate concentration in the cecum of IUGR piglets(P<0.05).Conclusion:PT is more potent than RSV to prevent intestinal oxidative stress,while RSV has a stronger capacity to regulate gut microbiota compared to PT.

Author Correction:Enhanced CD19 activity in B cells contributes to immunodeficiency in mice deficient in the ICF syndrome gene Zbtb24

In the sentence beginning‘To trace cell proliferation,FO and MZ B cells’and the sentence beginning‘For cell activation,naïve B cells or CH12F3 cells’in this article,the[10 ng/ml]‘F(ab’)_(2)fragment goat anti-mouse IgM’should have read‘10μg/ml F(ab’)_(2)fragment goat anti-mouse IgM’.The original article has been corrected.

Enhanced CD19 activity in B cells contributes to immunodeficiency in mice deficient in the ICF syndrome gene Zbtb24

Immunodeficiency,centromeric instability,and facial anomalies(ICF)syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by DNA hypomethylation and antibody deficiency.It is caused by mutations in DNMT3B,ZBTB24,CDCA7,or HELLS.While progress has been made in elucidating the roles of these genes in regulating DNA methylation,little is known about the pathogenesis of the life-threatening hypogammaglobulinemia phenotype.Here,we show that mice deficient in Zbtb24 in the hematopoietic lineage recapitulate the major clinical features of patients with ICF syndrome.Specifically,Vav-Cre-mediated ablation of Zbtb24 does not affect lymphocyte development but results in reduced plasma cells and low levels of IgM,IgG1,and IgA.Zbtb24-deficient mice are hyper and hypo-responsive to T-dependent and T-independent type 2 antigens,respectively,and marginal zone B-cell activation is impaired.Mechanistically,Zbtb24-deficient B cells show severe loss of DNA methylation in the promoter region of Il5ra(interleukin-5 receptor subunit alpha),and Il5ra derepression leads to elevated CD19 phosphorylation.Heterozygous disruption of Cd19 can revert the hypogammaglobulinemia phenotype of Zbtb24-deficient mice.Our results suggest the potential role of enhanced CD19 activity in immunodeficiency in ICF syndrome.

Betaine improves growth performance, liver health, antioxidant status, breast meat yield, and quality in broilers fed a mold- contaminated corn-based diet

Betaine has been demonstrated to improve growth performance and antioxidant status of animals under various stress conditions.However,there is no literature on the effects of betaine in animals exposed to mycotoxins,which are among the most prevalent contaminants in feed.Therefore,this study was conducted to evaluate the influence of dietary betaine on broilers fed a diet based on mold-contaminated corn(MCC).A total of 192 Ross 308 male broiler chicks at 1 d of age were randomly divided into 4 groups with 6 replicates and fed an MCC-based diet supplemented with 0,250,500,and 1,000 mg/kg betaine,respectively.Betaine increased average daily gain(linear,P=0.030)and decreased feed conversion ratio(linear,P=0.027)of broilers during d 1-21,and decreased feed conversion ratio during d 22-42(linear,P=0.012;quadratic,P<0.001)and d 1-42(linear,P=0.003;quadratic,P=0.004),whereas feed intake was not affected.Total cholesterol(linear,P=0.024),alanine aminotransferase(quadratic,P<0.001)and alkaline phosphatase(linear,P=0.007;quadratic,P=0.025)activities in serum were decreased by betaine.Betaine linearly increased breast muscle yield(P=0.003)and pH24 h(P=0.008),and decreased drip loss(P=0.022).Betaine increased(linear,P=0.025;quadratic,P=0.016)total superoxide dismutase activity in breast muscle and reduced malondialdehyde content in serum(linear,P=0.006),liver(quadratic,P=0.006)and breast muscle(linear,P=0.003).Moreover,the zearalenone concentrations in breast muscle were linearly decreased by betaine(P=0.006).It was concluded that betaine could improve growth performance,liver health,antioxidant status,and breast meat yield and quality,and reduce zearalenone residue in broilers fed the MCC-based diet,especially at 500 or 1,000 mg/kg.