Project description:Early-weaning-induced stress causes diarrhea, thereby reduces growth performance of piglets. Gut bacterial dysbiosis emerges as a leading cause of post-weaning diarrhea. The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of capsulized fecal microbiota transportation (FMT) on gut bacterial community, immune response and gut barrier function of weaned piglets. Thirty-two were randomly divided into two groups fed with basal diet for 21 days. Recipient group was inoculated orally with capsulized fecal microbiota of health Tibetan pig daily morning during whole period of trial, while control group was given orally empty capsule. The results showed that the F/G ratio, diarrhea ratio, diarrhea index, and histological damage score of recipient piglets were significantly decreased. FMT treatment also significantly increased the colon length of piglets. Furthermore, the relative abundances of Firmicutes, Euryarchaeota, Tenericutes, Lactobacillus, Methanobrevibacter and Sarcina in colon of recipient piglets were increased, and the relative abundances of Campylobacter, Proteobacteria, and Melainabacteria were significantly decreased compared with control group.
Project description:Early weaning commonly results in gastrointestinal disorders, inflammation and diarrhea in infants and young animals. Resveratrol, a plant phenol, affords protection against inflammation and cancer.A porcine model was used to investigate the effects of maternal resveratrol supplementation on diarrhea, intestinal inflammation and intestinal morphology in offspring during weaning. The intestinal gene expression was measureed by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis. Results that weaning-associated intestinal inflammation and diarrhea in pig offspring were alleviated and intestinal morphology was improved by maternal resveratrol supplementation. In weaning piglets (21-day-old), RNA-seq showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were enriched for T cell receptor, primary immunodeficiency, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Ras signaling pathway. In post-weaning piglets (28-day-old), RNA-seq showed that DEGs were enriched in the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway and pathways related to metabolism. This study provided insight into molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of maternal dietary resveratrol.
Project description:Diarrheal disease is a common health problem with complex causality. Although diarrhea is accompanied by disturbances in microbial diversity, how gut microbes are involved in the occurrence of diarrhea remains largely unknown. Here, using a pig model of post-weaning stress-induced diarrhea, we aim to elucidate and enrich the mechanistic basis of diarrhea. We found significant alterations in fecal microbiome, their metabolites, and microRNAs levels in piglets with diarrhea. Specifically, loss of ssc-miRNA-425-5p and ssc-miRNA-423-3p, which inhibit the gene expression of fumarate reductase (<i>frd</i>) in <i>Prevotella</i> genus, caused succinate accumulation in piglets, which resulted in diarrhea. Single-cell RNA sequencing indicated impaired epithelial function and increased immune response in the colon of piglet with diarrhea. Notably, the accumulated succinate increased colonic fluid secretion by regulating transepithelial Cl-secretion in the epithelial cells. Meanwhile, succinate promoted colonic inflammatory responses by activating MyD88-dependent TLR4 signaling in the macrophages. Overall, our findings expand the mechanistic basis of diarrhea and suggest that colonic accumulation of microbiota-produced succinate caused by loss of miRNAs leads to diarrhea in weanling piglets.
Project description:Weaning is a very critical period for piglets, typically accompanied by lower feed intake, weight loss after weaning and increased mortality. At weaning, piglets are exposed to many stressors, such as loss of mothering, mixing with other litters, end of lactational immunity, and a change in their environment and gut microbiota. After weaning, morphological and histological changes occur in the small intestine of piglets producing a rapid change of feeding regime which is critical for the immature digestive system. Sixteen female piglets were weaned to assess the effect of sorbic acid supplementation on the small intestine tissue transcriptome. At weaning day (T0), 4 piglets were sacrified and tissue samples collected. The remaining 12 piglets were weighted and randomly assigned to different post weaning (T5) diets. Diet A (n=6) contained 5 g/kg of sorbic acid. Diet B (n=6) is the same as Standard diet. Total RNA was isolated from ileum samples to be analyzed using the a CombiMatrix CustomArrayTM 90K platform . Even though diet had no detectable effect during the first 5 days after weaning, outcomes from this study highlighted some of the response mechanisms to the stress of weaning occurring in the piglet gut. A total of 205 differentially expressed genes were used for functional analysis using bioinformatics through BLAST2GO, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis 8.0, and the Dynamic Impact Aproach (DIA). Bioinformatics analysis revealed that Apoptosis, RIG-I-like and NOD-like receptor signaling were altered as a result of weaning. Results suggest that immune and inflammatory responses were activated and likely are a cause of small intestine atrophy as revealed by a decrease in villus height and villus/crypt ratio. Keywords: weaning, gut, gene expression, sorbic acid, microarray analysis
Project description:<p><strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Diarrhea is common in infants, particularly, children less than 2 years old. Intractable or protracted infancy diarrhea is typically associated with feeding intolerance and malabsorption that is lethal for newborns. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of baizhu shaoyao decoction in reducing functional diarrhea induced by weaning stress, while also delving into its potential mechanisms of action.</p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> Piglets were allocated into 5 groups, with each group receiving designated medication for a continuous 14-day period: control, zaohu powder, as well as low-, medium- and high-dose baizhu shaoyao decoction groups (n = 6 piglets per group). To identify diarrhea-related biomarkers, microbial communities, functions and metabolites were compared between the early-weaned piglets (control group) and those treated with 1.28 g/kg baizhu shaoyao decoction (medium-dose baizhu shaoyao decoction group). Our findings revealed significant shifts in microbial composition, function and metabolic profiles in piglets from the medium-dose baizhu shaoyao decoction group, intricately associated with the host's diarrhea status. Furthermore, carbohydrate metabolism and biosynthesis, lipid and amino acid metabolism, glycan activity and carbohydrate digestive enzymes exhibited downregulation in piglets of the medium-dose baizhu shaoyao decoction group compared to those in the control group. Transcriptome analysis highlighted the pivotal role of the FoxO1/3 transcription factor in mitigating weaning stress, particularly through the augmentation of CD4+/CD8+ T cell proportions. Our findings underscored that baizhu shaoyao decoction's therapeutic effects on weaning stress involve intestinal barrier restoration, modulation of brain-gut peptide expression and a reduction in mast-cell activity in the ileum.</p><p><strong>CONCLUSIONS:</strong> The key metabolites (chenodeoxycholyglycine, chenodeoxycholyltaurine, dinoprost, chenodeoxyglycocholic acid, glycochenodeoxycholic acid, glycocholic acid, N-choloylglycine, 5-trans-PGE2, Pregnanediol 3-O-glucuronide, spermidine and spermine) exhibited strong correlations with the abundance of <em>Clostridia_bacterium</em> and <em>Lachnospiraceae_bacterium</em>, emphasizing the significance of <em>Clostridia_bacterium</em> and <em>Lachnospiraceae_bacterium</em> in gut metabolism and function. Besides, this study suggests the potential efficacy of baizhu shaoyao decoction in addressing early post-weaning stress-induced diarrhea in infants, showcasing promising prospects for translational and clinical applications.</p>
Project description:Sixty crossbred piglets (Duroc*Landrace*Yorkshire) weaned at the age of 21 days were maintained for one week and had free access to feed and water. During this week, all the piglets were scored for the severity of diarrhea. Diarrhea index was scored as follows: 1= hard feces; 2= no scours, feces of normal consistency; 3= mild scours, soft, partially formed feces; 4= moderate scours, loose, semi-liquid feces; 5= watery feces; as previously did Those piglets with a score of 4 or 5 for three continuous days were designated as diarrhea piglets, while those piglets with a score of 1 or 2 for three continuous days were designated as normal piglets..
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in intestinal diseases; however, the role of miRNAs during weaning stress is unknown. In our study, six jejunal small RNA libraries constructed from weaning piglets at 1, 4 and 7 d after weaning (libraries W1, W4 and W7, respectively) and from suckling piglets on the same days as the weaning piglets (libraries S1, S4 and S7, respectively) were sequenced using Solexa high-throughput sequencing technology. Overall, 260 known swine miRNAs and 317 novel candidate miRNA precursors were detected in the six libraries. The results revealed that 16 differentially expressed miRNAs were found between W1 and S1; 98 differentially expressed miRNAs were found between W4 and S4 (ssc-mir-146b had the largest difference and ssc-mir-215 had the highest expression level); and 22 differentially expressed miRNAs were found between W7 and S7. Sequencing miRNA results were validated using RT-qPCR. Approximately 12,819 miRNA-mRNA interactions corresponding to 4,250 target genes were predicted. The biological analyses revealed that the differentially expressed miRNAs regulated small intestinal metabolism, stressful responses, cellular and immune functions and miRNA biosynthesis in piglets. Therefore, the small intestine miRNA transcriptome was significantly different between weaning and suckling piglets; the difference varied with the number of days after weaning. six small RNA libraries from weaning piglets at 1, 4 and 7 d after weaning and from suckling piglets on the same days as the weaning piglets, respectively. For every small RNA library construction, 4 biological total RNA samples isolated from each treatment and control were separately pooled with equal contribution.
Project description:probiotics and prebiotics to maternal diets is related to decreased incidence of diarrhea and greater weight gain during lactation. Our objective was to determine the impact of adding whole ground oat as a prebiotic alone or in combination with postbiotic yeast culture (YC) (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to sow gestation and lactation rations on milk composition, piglet growth, and incidence of post weaning diarrhea (PWD). Diets: control (CON), CON + yeast culture (YC) [5g/kg], CON + oat (15% inclusion rate) (Oat) or CON+ YC [5g/kg] + Oat (15%) were fed during the last 30 days of gestation and throughout lactation (18-21 days). Shotgun proteome analysis of day 4 and 7 postpartum milk samples found 36 differentially abundant proteins (P-adj <0.1) in both Oat and YC supplemented sows relative to CON. Notable was increased expression of antimicrobial proteins, lactoferrin and chitinase. IgG in milk of Oat supplemented sows was lower than YC supplemented sows (p<0.05) but had greater E. coli-antigen reactivity. Piglet weights at birth were similar. At weaning YC + Oat piglets weighed less and gained less weight (p<0.05) postweaning than CON. The incidence of PWD was lowest in the YC and Oat groups compared to CON and YC+ Oat groups. These data suggest that Oat or YC culture supplementation alters milk immune and antimicrobial associated proteins that can impact piglets but may have negative effects on piglet growth when given in combination.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in intestinal diseases; however, the role of miRNAs during weaning stress is unknown. In our study, six jejunal small RNA libraries constructed from weaning piglets at 1, 4 and 7 d after weaning (libraries W1, W4 and W7, respectively) and from suckling piglets on the same days as the weaning piglets (libraries S1, S4 and S7, respectively) were sequenced using Solexa high-throughput sequencing technology. Overall, 260 known swine miRNAs and 317 novel candidate miRNA precursors were detected in the six libraries. The results revealed that 16 differentially expressed miRNAs were found between W1 and S1; 98 differentially expressed miRNAs were found between W4 and S4 (ssc-mir-146b had the largest difference and ssc-mir-215 had the highest expression level); and 22 differentially expressed miRNAs were found between W7 and S7. Sequencing miRNA results were validated using RT-qPCR. Approximately 12,819 miRNA-mRNA interactions corresponding to 4,250 target genes were predicted. The biological analyses revealed that the differentially expressed miRNAs regulated small intestinal metabolism, stressful responses, cellular and immune functions and miRNA biosynthesis in piglets. Therefore, the small intestine miRNA transcriptome was significantly different between weaning and suckling piglets; the difference varied with the number of days after weaning.