Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary anethole supplementation on the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, inflammatory response, and intestinal microbiota of piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88. Thirty-six weaned piglets (24 ± 1 days old) were randomly allocated into four treatment groups: (1) sham challenge (CON); (2) Escherichia coli K88 challenge (ETEC); (3) Escherichia coli K88 challenge + antibiotics (ATB); and (4) Escherichia coli K88 challenge + anethole (AN). On day 12, the piglets in the ETEC, ATB, and AN group were challenged with 10 mL E. coli K88 (5 × 109 CFU/mL), whereas the piglets in the CON group were orally injected with 10 mL nutrient broth. On day 19, all the piglets were euthanized for sample collection. The results showed that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was increased in the Escherichia coli K88-challenged piglets, which was reversed by the administration of antibiotics or anethole (P < 0.05). The duodenum and jejunum of the piglets in ETEC group exhibited greater villous atrophy and intestinal morphology disruption than those of the piglets in CON, ATB, and AN groups (P < 0.05). Administration of anethole protected intestinal barrier function and upregulated mucosal layer (mRNA expression of mucin-1 in the jejunum) and tight junction proteins (protein abundance of ZO-1 and Claudin-1 in the ileum) of the piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88 (P < 0.05). In addition, administration of antibiotics or anethole numerically reduced the plasma concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α (P < 0.1) and decreased the mRNA expression of TLR5, TLR9, MyD88, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in the jejunum of the piglets after challenge with Escherichia coli K88 (P < 0.05). Dietary anethole supplementation enriched the abundance of beneficial flora in the intestines of the piglets. In summary, anethole can improve the growth performance of weaned piglets infected by ETEC through attenuating intestinal barrier disruption and intestinal inflammation.
Highlights
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is considered one of the main causes of diarrhea in weaning piglets (Fairbrother et al, 2005)
After ETEC challenge, the piglets fed diets containing antibiotics or AN had lower (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio (F/G) than the piglets challenged with ETEC, and this F/G was similar to that of the piglets given the CON treatment (Table 1)
The present study showed that seven days after ETEC challenge, the relative mRNA expression of myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) in the jejunum was significantly upregulated in the piglets challenged with ETEC
Summary
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is considered one of the main causes of diarrhea in weaning piglets (Fairbrother et al, 2005). A poor breeding environment causes an increase in intestinal ETEC (Yokoyama et al, 1992), disrupts the balance of intestinal flora (Li et al, 2012) and affects the digestion and absorption of nutrients (Gao et al, 2013). The enterotoxins secreted by ETEC can destroy the intestinal mucosa layer and tight junction structure, which leads to increased permeability of the intestine (Fleckenstein et al, 2010; Dubreuil, 2012). Damage to the intestine could reduce growth performance, cause severe diarrhea, and even lead to piglet death (Fleckenstein et al, 2010). A large number of antibiotics are used in animal production worldwide each year, of which most are antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs). According to the requirements of Chinese government, feed manufacturers is not allowed to produce commercial feeds containing growth-promoting drug feed additives since July 1, 2020
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