Dataset Information

Stages of pregnancy and weaning influence the gut microbiota diversity and function in sows.

ABSTRACT: AIMS:The gut microbiota is believed to play important roles in the health of pregnant mammals, including their nutrient metabolism, immune programming and metabolic regulation. However, until recently, the shifts in gut microbiota composition and faecal and blood metabolic activity during different stages of pregnancy had not been investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS:We investigated the shifts in backfat thickness, plasma and faecal metabolites and gut microbiota on days 30, 60, 90 and 110 of pregnancy and on day 21 after parturition (weaning) in sows. The backfat thickness of sows did not significantly differ among the different stages of pregnancy. The plasma concentrations of lipid metabolites, including triacylglycerol (TG), total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and calcium were reduced (P < 0·05) during pregnancy. In addition, the concentration of these metabolites, except TG, reached their maximum at the time of weaning. We also found that Tenericutes, Fibrobacteres and Cyanobacteria varied significantly according to the stages of pregnancy in sows (P < 0·05). Most of the genera, such as Clostridiales, Desulfovibrio, Mogibacteriaceae and Prevotella, increased (P < 0·05) with the progression of pregnancy and decreased (P < 0·05) at weaning. The alpha diversity values (i.e., Shannon diversity and observed species) of sow gut microbiota increased (P < 0·05) from pregnancy to weaning. Pregnancy stages also significantly influenced (P < 0·05) the community structure (beta diversity) of gut microbiota. The progression of pregnancy was associated with changes in lipid metabolism and several carbohydrate-degradation bacteria (i.e., Prevotella, Succinivibrio, Bacteroides and Parabacteroides). CONCLUSIONS:Although causal links between the measured parameters remain hypothetical, these findings suggest that the increased diversity and concentration of beneficial gut microbes are associated with the metabolism of pregnant sows. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY:Manipulation of the sow gut microbiota composition may potentially influence metabolism and health during pregnancy.

SUBMITTER: Ji YJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6852164 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Stages of pregnancy and weaning influence the gut microbiota diversity and function in sows.

Ji Y J YJ Li H H Xie P F PF Li Z H ZH Li H W HW Yin Y L YL Blachier F F Kong X F XF

Journal of applied microbiology 20190701 3

<h4>Aims</h4>The gut microbiota is believed to play important roles in the health of pregnant mammals, including their nutrient metabolism, immune programming and metabolic regulation. However, until recently, the shifts in gut microbiota composition and faecal and blood metabolic activity during different stages of pregnancy had not been investigated.<h4>Methods and results</h4>We investigated the shifts in backfat thickness, plasma and faecal metabolites and gut microbiota on days 30, 60, 90 a ...[more]

PMID: 31237071

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Project description:The experiment was conducted to compare the differences of gut microbiota and metabolic status of sows with different litter sizes on days 30 and 110 of gestation, and uncover the relationship between the composition of maternal gut microbiota during gestation and sow reproductive performance. Twenty-six Large White × Landrace crossbred multiparous sows (2nd parity) with similar back fat thickness and body weight were assigned to two groups [high-reproductive performance group (HP group) and low-reproductive performance group (LP group)] according to their litter sizes and fed a common gestation diet. Results showed that compared with LP sows, HP sows had significantly lower plasma levels of triglyceride (TG) on gestation d 30 (P < 0.05), but had significantly higher plasma levels of TG, non-esterified fatty acid, tumor necrosis factor-α, and immunoglobulin M on gestation d 110 (P < 0.05). Consistently, HP sows revealed increased alpha diversity and butyrate-producing genera, as well as fecal butyrate concentration, on gestation d 30; HP sows showed significantly different microbiota community structure with LP sows (P < 0.05) and had markedly higher abundance of Firmicutes (genera Christensenellaceae_R-7_group and Terrisporobacter) which were positively related with litter size on gestation d 110 than LP sows (P < 0.05). In addition, plasma biochemical parameters, plasma cytokines, and fecal microbiota shifted dramatically from gestation d 30 to d 110. Therefore, our findings demonstrated that microbial abundances and community structures differed significantly between sows with different litter sizes and gestation stages, which was associated with changes in plasma biochemical parameters, inflammatory factors, and immunoglobulin. Moreover, these findings revealed that there was a significant correlation between litter size and gut microbiota of sows, and provided a microbial perspective to improve sow reproductive performance in pig production.

Project description:More and more studies have indicated that gut microbiota takes part in the biosynthesis and metabolism of sex hormones. Inversely, sex hormones influence the composition of gut microbiota. However, whether microbiota in the gut and vagina is associated with estrus return of weaning sows is largely unknown. Here, using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in 158 fecal and 50 vaginal samples, we reported the shifts in the gut and vaginal microbiota between normal return and non-return sows. In fecal samples, Lactobacillus and S24-7 were enriched in normal return sows, while Streptococcus luteciae, Lachnospiraceae, Clostridium, and Mogibacterium had higher abundance in non-return sows. In vaginal swabs, the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) annotated to Clostridiales, Ruminoccaceae, and Oscillospira were enriched in normal return sows, while those OTUs annotated to Campylobacter, Anaerococcus, Parvimonas, Finegoldia, and Dorea had higher abundances in non-return sows. Co-abundance group (CAG) analysis repeated the identification of the bacterial taxa associated with the estrus return of weaning sows. The predicted functional capacities in both gut and vaginal microbiome were changed between normal return and non-return sows. Serum metabolome profiles were determined by non-targeted metabolome analysis in seven normal return and six non-return sows. The metabolite features having higher abundance in normal return sows were enriched in the pathways Steroid hormone biosynthesis, Starch and sucrose metabolism, Galactose metabolism, and Vitamin B6 metabolism, while the metabolite features belonging to organic acids and derivatives, indoles and derivatives, sulfoxides, and lignans and neolignans had significantly higher abundance in non-return sows. Correlation analysis found that the changes in gut microbiota were associated with the shifts of serum metabolites and suggested that certain bacteria might affect estrus return of weaning sow through serum metabolites. These findings may provide new insights for understanding the role of the gut and vaginal microbiota in sow return to estrus after weaning.

Project description:Dietary supplementation with yeast derivatives (YD) contributes to the health and physiology of sows and piglets, but few studies have focused on how it influences gut health and performance of sows and piglets. The goal was therefore to examine whether YD, based on brewer's yeast hydrolysate added to pregnancy diet, would affect colostrum composition, yield (CY) and gut microbiota of sows and piglets. Sows were allocated to either a control diet (n = 19) or a control diet supplemented with 2g YD/kg (n = 18) during the pregnancy. Piglets suckling belonging to the control sows (n = 114) and supplemented sows (n = 108) were also included in the study. Gut microbiota populations of sows at farrowing and piglets at one and four weeks of age were assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Colostrum samples were examined for nutritional composition and immunoglobulin (Ig) content. All piglets were individually weighed at birth and 24 hours later in order to calculate CY, and later at four weeks to calculate average daily gain (ADG). Protein, lactose and dry matter content of colostrum did not significantly differ between the two groups, while sows fed YD had higher levels of fat in their colostrum (P < 0.05). Immunoglobulin A, IgM and IgG levels in colostrum did not differ between the two groups (P >0.05). Colostrum yield was lower in the control than that in YD group (3701g vs. 4581 g; P <0.05). Although the YD supplementation did not change fecal bacteria diversity in sow, more beneficial and fermentative bacteria (Roseburia, Paraprevotella, Eubacterium) were found in the YD fed group (P <0.01) while, some opportunistic pathogens, including Proteobacteria, especially the genera Desulfovibrio, Escherichia/Shigella and Helicobacter, were suppressed. Piglets at one week of age from sows fed YD had more beneficial microbial populations with significant diversity and fewer opportunistic pathogens. Additionally, we established a Pearson's correlations between CY, colostrum components, piglet birth weight and fecal microbiota. Therefore, YD added to the sow diet during pregnancy increases colostrum availability and its energy content for neonate piglets, also promoting beneficial maternal microbial sources for neonate.

Project description:Early weaning induces intestinal injury, leading to a series of long-term symptoms such as inflammation, malabsorption and diarrhea. In this study, we hypothesized that microbes and their metabolites modulate the host's inflammatory response to early weaning stress in a goat model. A total of 18 female Tibetan goat kids (n = 9) were weaned from their mothers at 28 d (D28) and 60 d (D60) postpartum. D60 and D28 groups were fed the same solid diet ad libitum from weaning to 75 d of age. The colonic epithelium was subject to RNA-sequencing, the caecal digesta metabolomics were assessed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and the caecal microbiota composition was analysed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. We found that early weaning substantially increased the colonic pro-apoptotic gene expression of B-cell lymphoma associated X (Bax), caspase-9, and caspase-3, and decreased the expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and claudin-1 (P < 0.01). In addition, a significant Bacteroides acidifaciens enrichment was observed in the hindgut of early-weaned goats (P < 0.01), which negatively correlated with lysophosphatidylcholine products. Similarly, the chemokine signaling, IL-17 signaling, and peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathways were upregulated in the colonic mucosa of the early-weaned goats. By applying caecal microbiota transplantation from goats to defaunated C57/6J mice, we confirmed that caecal microbiota of D28 goat kids increased the relative abundance of B. acidifaciens and significantly up-regulated the genes of Bax, G protein-coupled receptor (GPR) 109A, GPR 43, fatty acid binding protein 6, nuclear receptor subfamily 1 group H member 3, angiotensin converting enzyme 2, and IL-6 expression (P < 0.05), and decreased ZO-1, and claudin-1 protein expression in the mice jejunum and colon (P < 0.001). These results proposed that the hindgut microbiota and metabolites mediate the barrier function weakening during early weaning, and the relative abundance of B. acidifaciens was negatively correlated with the hindgut barrier gene expression. This study demonstrates how weaning stress can affect key host-microbe interaction regulators in the hindgut, in a lysophosphatidylcholine dependent and independent manner. Furthermore, based on our mice data, these results are transferable to other mammal species.

Dataset Information

Stages of pregnancy and weaning influence the gut microbiota diversity and function in sows.

Publications

Stages of pregnancy and weaning influence the gut microbiota diversity and function in sows.

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