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: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:Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is an acute and life-threatening gastrointestinal disorder afflicting preterm infants, which is currently unpreventable. Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is a promising preventative therapy, but potential bacterial infection raise concern. Removal of bacteria from donor feces may reduce this risk while maintaining the NEC-preventive effects. We aimed to assess preclinical efficacy and safety of bacteria-free fecal filtrate transfer (FFT). Using fecal material from healthy suckling piglets, we administered FMT rectally, or cognate FFT either rectally or oro-gastrically to formula-fed preterm, cesarean-delivered piglets as a model for preterm infants, We compared gut pathology and related safety parameters with saline controls, and analyzed ileal mucosal transcriptome to gauge the host e response to FMT and FFT treatments relative to control. Results showed that oro-gastric FFT prevented NEC, whereas FMT did not perform better than control. Moreover, FFT but not FMT reduced intestinal permeability, whereas FMT animals had reduced body weight increase and intestinal growth. Global gene expression of host mucosa responded to FMT but not FFT with increased and decreased bacterial and viral defense mechanisms, respectively. In conclusion, as preterm infants are extremely vulnerable to enteric bacterial infections, rational NEC-preventive strategies need incontestable safety profiles. Here we show in a clinically relevant animal model that FFT, as opposed to FMT, efficiently prevents NEC without any recognizable side effects. If translatable to preterm infants, this could lead to a change of practice and in turn a reduction in NEC burden.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling of 25d old piglets comparing control untreated suckling jejunum with weaned piglets' jejunum. The goal was to gain new insight into the interaction between weaning and intestinal function.A keen interest is paid in deciphering expression changes of apoptosis or cell cycle control genes. The statistical analysis of gene ontology revealed that most of these altered genes are metabolic-related enzymes and regulators which may involved in the biological regulation, developmental process, and cellular process. Weaning also causes alterations in various immune response pathways. Results likely indicate that weaning induced cell cycle arrest, enhanced apoptosis, and inhibited cell proliferation. Two-condition experiment, suckling control piglets' jejunum vs. weaned piglets' jejunum. Biological replicates: 4 control replicates, 4 weaned replicates.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) in serum are very stable and specific. Moreover, serum miRNAs are non-destructive and convenient. Studies have shown that the changes of serum miRNAs are closely relative to the pathological stresses and diseases. Our previous studies suggested that weaning stress induced the abnormal miRNA transcriptome in the intestine of piglets. In this project, we will further screen serum miRNA expression in piglets induced by weaning stress using miRNA microarray. Microarrays containing 422 porcine unique miRNA probes were employed to identify differences in the expression patterns of the miRNA between weaning piglets at 4 d after weaning and suckling piglets at the same days old. A total of 115 differentally expressed miRNAs were found,therein 63 miRNAs upregulated and 52 miRNA downregulated; 64 miRNAs are statistically significant but have low signals (signal < 500);122 miRNAs are not statistically significant (p > 0.01); the remaining 132 miRNAs have not detected signals.