Hydrolysable Chestnut Tannin Extract Chemical Complexity in Its Reactions for Non-Isocyanate Polyurethanes(NIPU)Foams

Non-isocyanate polyurethane(NIPU)foams from a commercial hydrolysable tannin extract,chestnut wood tannin extract,have been prepared to determine what chemical species and products are taking part in the reactions involved.This method is based on two main steps:the reaction with dimethyl carbonate and the formation of urethane bonds by further reaction of the carbonated tannin with a diamine-like hexamethylene diamine.The hydroxyl groups on the tannin polyphenols and on the carbohydrates intimately linked with it and part of a hydrolysable tannin are the groups involved in these reactions.The carbohydrate skeleton of the hydrolysable tannin is also able to participate through its hydroxyl groups to the same two reactions rendering the whole molecular complex able to react to form NIPUs.The analysis by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization(MALDI-TOF)mass spectrometry and 13C Nuclear Magnetic Resonance(13C NMR)to further investigate the reaction mechanisms involved revealed the unsuspected complexity of chestnut hydrolysable tannin,with different fragments reacting in different manners forming a hardened network of considerable complexity.As the morphology and performance of these types of foams changes slightly with the change in the amount of glutaraldehyde and hexamine hardeners,the best performing foam formulation previously determined was scanned by SEM and analysed chemically for the structures formed.

Self-Blowing Non-Isocyanate Polyurethane Foams Based on Hydrolysable Tannins

ABSTRACT Non-isocyanate polyurethane(NIPU)foams using a hydrolysable tannin,also vulgarly called tannic acid,namely here commercial chestnut wood tannin extract was prepared.Compression strength did not appear to depend on the foam apparent density while the formulation composition of the NIPU foams has been shown to be more determinant.These NIPU foams appeared to be self-extinguishing once the high temperature flame is removed.The ignition time gave encouraging results but for improved fire resistance the foams may need some fire-retardant addition.FTIR spectrometry showed the formation of non-isocyanate urethane linkages.Thermogravimetric analysis indicated a good thermal resistance of these foams,with thermal degradation following four phases.First in the interval 25℃–120℃ range,mainly evaporation of water occurs with a maximal loss of 10%weight.In the 150℃–450℃ temperature range foams mass loss is of almost 70%.In particular in the 125℃–275℃ range occurs the degradation of some small molecular weight substances.In the 500℃–790℃ temperature range the foams do not present any further large degradation.

A New C-glycosidic Hydrolysable Tannin from Rhodomyrtus tomentosa

Tomentosin(1), a new C-glycosidic hydrolysable tannin, isolated from the leaves of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa. Its structure determined by chemical method and (1)HNMR spectroscopic analysis.

Food-derived protein hydrolysates and peptides:anxiolytic and antidepressant activities,characteristics,and mechanisms

Globally,the prevalence of anxiety and depression has reached epidemic proportions.Food-derived protein hydrolysates and peptides delivered through dietary supplementation can avoid the negative risks associated with traditional pharmaceuticals while delivering superior anxiolytic and antidepressant effects.This review summarizes current research on food-derived anxiolytic and antidepressant protein hydrolysates and peptides,and subsequently analyses their physicochemical characteristics and elaborates on their mechanisms.The aim of this work is to contribute to the in-depth study and provide a theoretical foundation for the development of related products to better serve patients with anxiety and depression.

The efficiency and safety evaluation of hemoglobin hydrolysate as a non-heme iron fortifier

Hemoglobin hydrolysate is derived from the enzymatic degradation of hemoglobin.This work aimed to evaluate whether hemoglobin hydrolysate promotes the absorption of non-heme iron and the safety of absorbed iron in mice by analyzing the iron binding content,iron circulation,and liver homeostasis.We found that hemoglobin hydrolysate promoted the absorption of non-heme iron with high efficiency in duodenum by spontaneously binding non-heme iron during digestion,and increased hepatic iron content by up-regulating divalent metal transporter 1,zinc transporter 14,but hepatic iron content only increased at 3 weeks.Duodenal iron entered the blood through ferroportin without restriction at 3 weeks,and excessive iron entered the liver and then affected the hepatocyte membranes permeability and lipid synthesis through oxidative stress.With the prolongation of dietary intervention,the up-regulated hepcidin acted on the ferroportin to restrict excess iron from entering the blood,and then the hepatic homeostasis recovered.In addition,hemoglobin hydrolysate enhanced the hepatic antioxidant capacity.Taken together,hemoglobin hydrolysate has a strong ability to promote the absorption of non-heme iron in vivo,and the absorbed iron is relatively safe due to the regulation of hepcidin.

Preparation,characterization and antioxidant activity analysis of three Maillard glycosylated bone collagen hydrolysates from chicken,porcine and bovine

Bone collagen hydrolysates(peptides)derived from byproduct of animal product processing have been used to produce commercially valuable products due to their potential antioxidant activity.Maillard glycosylated reaction is considered as a promising method to enhance the antioxidant activity of peptides.Hence,this research aims at investigating the Maillard glycosylation activity and antioxidant activity of bone collagen hydrolysates from different sources.In this study,3 glycosylated bone collagen hydrolysates were prepared and characterized,and cytotoxicity and antioxidant activity were analyzed and evaluated.The free amino groups loss,browning intensity,and fluorescence intensity of G-Cbcp(glycosylated chicken bone collagen hydrolysates(peptides))were the heaviest,followed by G-Pbcp(glycosylated porcine bone collagen hydrolysates(peptides))and G-Bbcp(glycosylated bovine bone collagen hydrolysates(peptides)).The results of amino acid analysis showed that amino acid composition of different bone collagen hydrolysates was significantly different and the amino acid decreased to different degrees after Maillard glycosylated reaction,which may lead to differences in Maillard glycosylated reaction activity.Furthermore,the 3 glycosylated hydrolysates showed no significant cytotoxicity.The results showed that glycosylation process significantly increased the antioxidant activity of bone collagen hydrolysates,and G-Cbcp showed the strongest antioxidant activity,followed by G-Pbcp and G-Bbcp.Therefore,compared with the bone collagen hydrolysates,3 glycosylated hydrolysates showed significant characteristic and structural changes,and higher antioxidant activity.

Antihypertensive effects of whey protein hydrolysate involve reshaping the gut microbiome in spontaneously hypertension rats

Novel angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE)inhibitory peptides were identified from whey protein hydrolysates(WPH)in vitro in our previous study and the antihypertensive abilities of WPH in vivo were further investigated in the current study.Results indicated that WPH significantly inhibited the development of high blood pressure and tissue injuries caused by hypertension.WPH inhibited ACE activity(20.81%,P<0.01),and reduced renin concentration(P<0.05),thereby reducing systolic blood pressure(SBP)(12.63%,P<0.05)in spontaneously hypertensive rats.The increased Akkermansia,Bacteroides,and Lactobacillus abundance promoted high short chain fatty acid content in feces after WPH intervention.These changes jointly contributed to low blood pressure.The heart weight and cardiomyocyte injuries(hypertrophy and degeneration)were alleviated by WPH.The proteomic results revealed that 19 protein expressions in the heart mainly associated with the wingless/integrated(Wnt)signaling pathway and Apelin signaling pathway were altered after WPH supplementation.Notably,WPH alleviated serum oxidative stress,indicated by the decreased malondialdehyde content(P<0.01),enhanced total antioxidant capacity(P<0.01)and superoxide dismutase activity(P<0.01).The current study suggests that WPH exhibit promising antihypertensive abilities in vivo and could be a potential alternative for antihypertensive dietary supplements.

Effect of pulsed ultrasound assisted extraction and aqueous acetone mixture on total hydrolysable tannins from pomegranate peel

Pomegranate peels are disposed of as waste even though it is an eminent source of total hydrolysable tannins(THT)and possesses a great worth for recycling.The present study was carried out with the hypothesis that pulsed system ultrasound-assisted extraction(PSUAE)technique optimization would aid in retaining high extract yield and THT recovery yield from pomegranate peel extract(PPE)with enhanced antioxidant potential.The extraction was performed at various conditions regarding solvent concentration(30-90% of acetone),solvent-feed ratio(10-30 mL/g),extraction time(10-20 min),and ultrasound amplitude(40-80%)for maximum extract yield,THT and antioxidant activity(AA).To model and optimize the process conditions tools namely response surface methodology(RSM)and artificial neural network(ANN)were applied.For solvent concentration,solvent-feed ratio,extraction time,and amplitude the optimal conditions attained with aid of RSM and ANN were:56%,26.5 mL/g,15 min,55%,and 45%,23 mL/g,15 min,50% respectively.The extract yield and THT content determined with RSM and ANN optimized values were 51.2%,86.4 mg TAE/g,and 62%,98.1 mg TAE/g,respectively.The mean square error value displayed the minimum and R^(2) exhibited maximum value in case of ANN compared to RSM model.PSUAE significantly augmented the AA of PPE to 77.2±0.50% compared to 49.7±0.35% of conventional extraction.FTIR and HPLC analysis established that PPE produced from PSUAE contains a significant amount of THT compounds(gallic acid and tannic acid derivative).SEM elucidated that the sonication effect resulted in peel cell wall disruptions ensuing in elevated extraction of THT.Therefore,this pulsed mode of ultrasound extraction could be regarded as an easy,cost-effective,and competent technique for the extraction of preferred natural THT from pomegranate peels that possess high prospective to be applied in food and nutraceutical formulations.

Yeast hydrolysate attenuates lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier damage in weaned piglets

Background Intestinal inflammation is the main risk factor causing intestinal barrier dysfunction and lipopolysaccharide(LPS)can trigger inflammatory responses in various eukaryotic species.Yeast hydrolysate(YH)possesses multibiological effects and is received remarkable attention as a functional ingredient for improving growth performance and promoting health in animals.However,there is still inconclusive on the protective effects of dietary YH supplementation on intestinal barrier of piglets.This study was conducted to investigate the attenuate effects of YH supplementation on inflammatory responses and intestinal barrier injury in piglets challenged with LPS.Methods Twenty-four piglets(with an average body weight of 7.42±0.34 kg)weaned at 21 days of age were randomly assigned to one of two dietary treatments(12 replications with one pig per pen):a basal diet or a basal diet containing YH(5 g/kg).On the 22nd d,6 piglets in each treatment were intraperitoneally injected with LPS at 150μg/kg BW,and the others were injected with the same amount of sterile normal saline.Four hours later,blood samples of each piglet were collected and then piglets were euthanized.Results Dietary YH supplementation increased average daily feed intake and average daily gain(P<0.01),decreased the ratio of feed intake to gain of piglets(P sponse,evidenced by the increase o=0.048).Lipopolysaccharide(LPS)injection induced systemic inflammatory ref serum concentrations of haptoglobin(HP),adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH),cortisol,and interleukin-1β(IL-1β).Furthermore,LPS challenge resulted in inflammatory intestinal damage,by up-regulation of the protein or mRNA abundances of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),IL-1β,toll-like receptors 4(TLR4)and phosphor-nuclear factor-κB-p65(p-NFκB-p65)(P<0.01),and down-regulation of the jejunal villus height,the protein and mRNA abundances of zonula occludens-1(ZO-1)and occludin(OCC;P<0.05)in jejunal mucosa.Dietary YH supplementation decreased the impaired effects of ACTH,cortisol,HP,IL-1βand diamine oxidase in serum(P<0.05).Moreover,YH supplementation also up-regulated the jejunal villus height,protein and mRNA abundances of ZO-1 and OCC(P<0.05),down-regulated the mRNA expressions of TNF-αand IL-1βand the protein abundances of TNF-α,IL-1β,TLR4 and p-NFκB-p65 in jejunal mucosa in LPS-challenged pigs(P<0.01).Conclusion Yeast hydrolysate could attenuate inflammatory response and intestinal barrier injury in weaned piglets challenged with LPS,which was associated with the inhibition of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway activation.

Supplementation with yak (Bos grunniens) bone collagen hydrolysate altered the structure of gut microbiota and elevated short-chain fatty acid production in mice

In this study, yak bone collagen hydrolysate(YBCH)was produced by mixed proteases and provided to standard-diet mice at a different dose(low dose(LD), medium dose(MD), and high dose(HD))to investigate its effects on the composition of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids(SCFA)production. It was found that YBCH was mainly composed of small molecular peptides whose molecular weight below 2 000 Da. Notably, supplementation with different doses of YBCH could significantly downregulate the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes in the fecal microbiota. At the family level, the Lachnospiraceae abundance was significantly reduced in the YBCH gavage groups(mean reduction ratio 41.7 %, 35.2%, and 36.4% for LD, MD, and HD group, respectively). The predicted functions of gut microbes in the MD group were significantly increased at “lipid metabolism” and “glycan biosynthesis and metabolism”. Moreover, the SCFA production in the YBCH groups was elevated. Especially, the concentration of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid in the MD group was separately increased 79.7%, 89.2%, and 78.8% than that in the NC group. These results indicated that YBCH might be applied in the development of functional food for intestinal microecological regulation.

Systematic functional analysis and potential application of a serine protease from cold-adapted Planococcus bacterium

In this study, a gene encoding serine protease(PmSpr288)from cold-adapted bacterium, namely Planococcus maritimus XJ11, was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that PmSpr288 belongs to serine protease S8 superfamily with a classical catalytic triad comprised by the Asp49, His86 and Ser251. Moreover, PmSpr288 was found to be active over broad alkaline pH and low-moderate temperature, and exhibited wide range of protein substrate specificity. In addition, PmSpr288 was able to hydrolyze the meat proteins actin and myosin, and molecular docking results suggested that the crucial interaction between PmSpr288 and actin/myosin complexes was mainly occupied by hydrogen bonds. The muscle protein hydrolysates of silver carp prepared by PmSpr288 was shown to have antioxidant activity via DPPH radical scavenging assay, which presented an IC_(50) valve of 1.309 mg/mL. In conclusion, these characteristics imply that PmSpr288 has potential biotechnological application prospect for the production of bioactive peptides.

Therapeutic Effects of an Alpha-Casozepine and White Fish Muscle Hydrolyzed Complementary Feed on Canine Separation-Related Disorders and Quality of Life of Dogs and Their Pet Owners

Background: Separation-related disorders are prevalent in dogs and can result in problem behaviours such as inappropriate elimination, destructive behaviour, and distress vocalizations which occur when an owner is absent or perceived as absent. Numerous natural products are marketed for managing anxiety in dogs;however, few, if any, of these products have documented evidence of efficacy in veterinary behaviour. Purpose: This open, multicentric clinical trial aimed to assess the efficacy of a new supplement containing alpha-casozepine and fish muscle hydrolysate on the separation-related problem in dogs and the impact on the quality of life of dogs and their pet owners. Material and Methods: Fifty-one dogs with clinical signs compatible with separation-related problems were included. The dogs were treated with a complementary feed (Zylkene Plus, Vetoquinol, France) for 30 days. Separation-related behaviour assessment (SRP), emotional disorders assessment (EDED) and the quality of life (QoL) of the pets and their pet owner were assessed at baseline and the end of the study by the veterinarians. In addition, owners were asked to rate their dog’s SRP weekly after enrolment using the same questionnaire that the veterinarian used at the beginning of the study. Results: There was a statistically significant improvement in the SRP, EDED, and QoL scores (P Conclusion: The results of this study support the hypothesis that the combination of alpha-casozepine and fish muscle hydrolysate is a promising and effective option to reduce the frequency and severity of separation-related behaviour in dogs and improve the quality of dogs and their owners.

Land Use Impact on Bioavailable Phosphorus in the Bronx River, New York

Various forms of phosphorus (P) could become bioavailable such as from desorption, dissolution and enzymatic hydrolysis. Potential bioavailable P estimation is critical to minimize eutrophication in freshwater systems. Thus, this study was conducted to predict potential bioavailable P in the water columns and sediments and their relations with enzymatic hydrolysis, and estimate impacts of land use and anthropogenic activities on P bioavailability, P transport and water quality in the Bronx River, New York, USA. In sediment samples collected in 2006, total P (TP), total inor-ganic P (IP), total organic P (OP) and bioavailable P (BAP) were in highest concentrations in sites located at Bronx River Valley upstream in Westchester (site 2), Troublesome Brook (TB, site 4), Sprain Brook (SB, site 7b) and Bronx River estuary near Sound View Park (site 14) respectively. Also, phosphodiesterase and native phosphatases (PDEase and NPase) hydrolyzed distinguishingly high amounts of OP or enzymatically hydrolysable P (EHP) in samples from sites 4, 7b, 10 (New York Botanical Garden) and 14. Microbial P was in negative values (caused by different bacteria and microorganisms could not be paralyzed by chloroform), and the most negative concentrations were appeared at sties 4 and 14. Spatial comparisons among different locations showed distinguished characteristics in tributaries and estuary. In sediments collected in 2007, TP, BAP and IP were in highest concentrations at sites 7-SB, 11-Bronx Zoo, 12-East Tremont Ave Bridge where fresh and saline water meets, 13-estuary facing Hunts Point Waste Water Treatment Plant (HP WWTP) and 14-estuary along Sound View Park. Besides, PDEase-P highest concentrations ap-peared at sties 7, 13 and 11, NPase-P concentrations were highest at 7 and 11. Microbial P was highest at sties 11 and 14. Spatial variations showed that higher P content and more intense enzymatic hydrolysis in silty clay finer sediments at site 7, 11 and 13. Temporal variations between the two years’ data showed land use and other anthropogenic factors’ impacts on P transport in river and deposit in sediments. Analysis of the river water samples showed that average soluble reactive P (SRP, 67 μg.l-1) in 2006 and SRP (68μg.l-1) in 2007 both were greater than background P concentration in most natural water (42 μg.l-1).

Terminalic Acid, a New Tannin from the Fruit of Terminalia chebula

Terminalic acid 1, a new hydrolysable tannin, was isolated from the fruit of Terminalia chebula. Its structure was found to be 1-O-galloyl-2,4-chebuloyl-beta-D-glucopyranose by chemical method and H-1-NMR, C-13-NMR, H-1-H-1 COSY, HMQC, HMBC and FAB-MS spectral analyses.

Calcium-binding ability of soy protein hydrolysates

This present study investigated the ability of various soy protein hydrolysates (SPHs) in binding calcium. It was demonstrated that the amount of Ca-bound depended greatly on the SPHs obtained using different proteases, which included: neutrase, flavourzyme, protease M and pepsin. The maximum level of Ca-bound (66.9 mg/g) occurred when protease M was used to hydrolyze soy protein. Peptide fragments exhibiting high Ca-binding capacity had molecular weights of either 14.4 or 8–9 kDa. The level of Ca-bound increased linearly with the increment of carboxyl content in SPHs, and further deamidation on SPHs from protease M improved Ca-binding of the hydrolysate.

Antioxidant and Anti-aging Activities of Silybum Marianum Protein Hydrolysate in Mice Treated with D-galactose

Objective In the present study, we investigated the antioxidant and anti‐aging effects of Silybum marianum protein hydrolysate（SMPH） in D‐galactose‐treated mice. Methods D‐galactose（500 mg/kg body weight） was intraperitoneally injected daily for 7 weeks to accelerate aging, and SMPH（400, 800, 1,200 mg/kg body weight, respectively） was simultaneously administered orally. The antioxidant and anti‐aging effects of SMPH in the liver and brain were measured by biochemical assays. Transmission electron microscopy（TEM） was performed to study the ultrastructure of liver mitochondria. Results SMPH decreased triglyceride and cholesterol levels in the D‐galactose‐treated mice. It significantly elevated the activities of superoxide dismutase（SOD） and glutathione peroxidase（GSH‐Px）, and total antioxidant capacity（T‐AOC）, which were suppressed by D‐galactose. Monoamine oxidase（MAO） and malondialdehyde（MDA） levels as well as the concentrations of caspase‐3 and 8‐OHd G in the liver and brain were significantly reduced by SMPH. Moreover, it increased Bcl‐2 levels in the liver and brain. Furthermore, SMPH significantly attenuated D‐galactose‐induced liver mitochondrial dysfunction by improving the activities of Na＋‐K＋‐ATPase and Ca2＋‐Mg2＋‐ATPase as well as mitochondrial membrane potential（ΔΨm） and fluidity. TEM showed that the degree of liver mitochondrial damage was significantly decreased by SMPH. Conclusion The results indicated that SMPH protects against D‐galactose‐induced accelerated aging in mice through its antioxidant and anti‐aging activities.

Protective Effect of Gelatin and Gelatin Hydrolysate from Salmon Skin on UV Irradiation-Induced Photoaging of Mice Skin

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of gelatin(SG) isolated from salmon skin and its hydrolysate(SGH) on photoaging skin, and the mechanism responsible for anti-photoaging. The average molecular weights of SG and SGH were 65 k Da and 873 Da, respectively. The amino acid compositions of SG and SGH were similar. Both of them were abundant in hydrophobic amino acids. Twenty-five peptides were identified from SGH. SG and SGH could improve UV irradiation-induced pathological changes of macroscopical tissue texture and skin morphology. Hydroxyproline content is an indicator of matrix collagen content, SG and SGH could inhibit the decrease of hydroxyproline content in photoaging skin in a dose dependent manner. In addition, SG and SGH could alleviate UV irradiation-induced oxidative damages to skin by increasing the activities of total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px) and catalase(CAT), increasing the content of glutathione(GSH) and decreasing the content of malonaldehyde(MDA). Moreover, SG and SGH could enhance immune regulation system by increasing the thymus index. Thus, the anti-photoaging mechanisms of SG and SGH were by inhibiting the depletion of antioxidant defense components, involving in the synthesis of collagen and enhancing the function of immune system. Besides, SGH showed a better result in protecting skin from photoaging than SG.

A new method for determination of antithrombotic activity of egg white protein hydrolysate by microplate reader

A new method for the determination of antithrombotic activity of egg white protein hydrolysate （EWPH） was developed using a microplate reader. Reaction was carried out at 37℃and pH 7.2 with fibrinogen concentration 0.1%. Microplate reading was conducted at 405 nm. Inhibition rate of EWPH on thrombin activity showed linearity （R2 = 0.9971）, when the inhibition rate was in the range of 10-90%. The lower limit of detection （LLD, at 99.7% probability） and the biological limit of detection （BLD, at 99.7% probability） of the method were 10.643 and 40 mg/mL, respectively. The repeatability standard deviation （R.S.D.） was 1.08%. The standard deviation of the method was ±0.027 AT-U.

Study on Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Gadus morrhua Skin Collagen and Molecular Weight Distribution of Hydrolysates

Process parameters on enzymatic hydrolysis and molecular weight （MW） distribution of collagen hydrolysates from Gadus morrhua skin were investigated. The optimal process parameters were obtained by the single-factor and orthogonal experiments. The molecular weight distribution of hydrolysates was determined using both Sephadex G25 partition and high speed liquid chromatography electricity spray mass spectrum （HPLC-ESI-MS）. Collagen hydrolysates were first gained by an alkaline protease ＂alcalase＂ for 3 h at temperature （50~C）, pH （10.0）, substrate concentration （75 g L-~）, and E/S （3%）. The molecular weight distribution of collagen hydrolysates ranged from 300 to 1 500 Da, and most of peptides were under 1 200 Da. Sephadex G25 partition and HPLC-ESI-MS should be successfully employed to determine the molecular weight distribution of collagen hydrolysates.

Low-protein diets supplemented with casein hydrolysate favor the microbiota and enhance the mucosal humoral immunity in the colon of pigs

Background:High-protein diets can increase the colonic health risks.A moderate reduction of dietary crude-protein(CP)level can improve the colonic bacterial community and mucosal immunity of pigs.However,greatly reducing the dietary CP level,even supplemented with all amino acids(AAs),detrimentally affects the colonic health,which may be due to the lack of protein-derived peptides.Therefore,this study evaluated the effects of supplementation of casein hydrolysate(peptide source)in low-protein(LP)diets,in comparison with AAs supplementation,on the colonic microbiota,microbial metabolites and mucosal immunity in pigs,aiming to determine whether a supplementation of casein hydrolysate can improve colonic health under very LP level.Twenty-one pigs(initial BW 19.90±1.00 kg,63±1 days of age)were assigned to three groups and fed with control diet(16%CP),LP diets(13%CP)supplemented with free AAs(LPA)or casein hydrolysate(LPC)for 4 weeks.Results:Compared with control diet,LPA and LPC diet decreased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Escherichia coli,and LPC diet further decreased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria.LPC diet also increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus reuteri.Both LP diets decreased concentrations of ammonia and cadaverine,and LPC diet also reduced concentrations of putrescine,phenol and indole.Moreover,LPC diet increased total short-chain fatty acid concentration.In comparison with control diet,both LP diets decreased protein expressions of Toll-like receptor-4,nuclear factor-κB,interleukin-1βand tumor necrosis factor-α,and LPC diet further decreased protein expressions of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain protein-1 and interferon-γ.LPC diet also increased protein expressions of G-protein coupled receptor-43,interleukin-4,transforming growth factor-β,immunoglobulin A and mucin-4,which are indicators for mucosal defense activity.Conclusions:The results showed that supplementing casein hydrolysate showed beneficial effects on the colonic microbiota and mucosal immunity and barrier function in comparison with supplementing free AAs in LP diets.These findings may provide new framework for future nutritional interventions for colon health in pigs.