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Ningxiang Pig-Derived Parabacteroides distasonis HNAU0205 Alleviates ETEC-Induced Intestinal Apoptosis, Oxidative Damage, and Inflammation in Piglets
by
, , and
Zichen Wu
1,2,†
,
Longlin Zhang
1,2,†,
Hongkun Li
1,2,
Junyao Li
1,
Zihao Zhang
1,
Bie Tan
1,2,*
and
Jing Wang
1,2,* 1
Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory for the Products Quality Regulation of Livestock and Poultry, College of Animal Science and Technology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China
2
Yuelushan Laboratory, Changsha 410128, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Animals 2024, 14(15), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14152156
Submission received: 18 June 2024
/
Revised: 21 July 2024
/
Accepted: 22 July 2024
/
Published: 24 July 2024
(This article belongs to the Section Pigs)
Simple Summary
Weaning stress poses significant physiological challenges to piglets, often manifesting as intestinal disturbances, such as inflammation and impaired intestinal function, which ultimately affect growth and health. Probiotics can alleviate these adverse effects of stress and promote healthy growth in piglets. Parabacteroides distasonis (PBd), as a potential probiotic, has shown efficacy in preventing various diseases, but its anti-diarrheal effects in weaned piglets remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of PBd derived from Ningxiang pigs on growth performance, intestinal apoptosis, oxidative damage, and inflammation in Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC)-challenged weaned piglets. The results show that oral administration of PBd can improve intestinal health and attenuate ETEC-induced intestinal damage in piglets.
Abstract
Weaning is a critical stage in the growth and development of piglets, often inducing stress reactions. This study aims to investigate the effects of Parabacteroides distasonis (PBd) derived from Ningxiang pigs on growth performance, intestinal apoptosis, oxidative damage, and inflammation in ETEC-challenged weaned piglets. A total of 22 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) piglets, 24 days old with similar body weights, were randomly divided into three groups: Control (n = 7), ETEC (n = 7), and PBd + ETEC (n = 8). The results show that, compared to the Control group, ETEC challenge led to decreased growth performance, reduced villus height in the duodenum and jejunum, increased crypt depth in the duodenum, a decreased villus-height-to-crypt-depth ratio, increased expression of apoptosis-related genes (Caspase-8 and Caspase-9), increased expression of oxidative damage-related genes (Nrf2, GSH-PX, mTOR, and Beclin1), increased expression of inflammation-related genes (Myd88, P65, TNF-α, and IL-6), and reduced the contents of SCFAs in the colonic chyme (acetate, propionate, butyrate, valerate, and total SCFAs). Compared to the ETEC group, the PBd + ETEC group alleviated the reduction in growth performance, mitigated intestinal morphological damage, and reduced the expression of the aforementioned apoptosis, oxidative damage, and inflammation-related genes with the increase in SCFAs. In conclusion, PBd derived from Ningxiang pigs effectively reduces ETEC-induced intestinal damage in weaned piglets, improves intestinal health, and increases the content of SCFAs in the colonic chyme, thereby enhancing growth performance.
