Abstract
Simple SummaryThe protective effect of niacin on growth performance and gut health of weaned piglets and the underlying mechanism remains unclear despite it being a common additive in pig diets. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of niacin on growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal mucosal immunity, and colonic microbiota in weaned piglets. Our results show that niacin supplementation significantly improved the growth performance in piglets as compared with those given a niacin receptor antagonist. Niacin also significantly improved the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria in the colon and alleviate the inflammatory response in the intestinal mucosa as compared with control piglets and those given a niacin receptor antagonist. These results provide new insight into the beneficial effects of niacin on growth performance and gut health in weaned piglets.This study aimed to investigate the effects of niacin on growth performance, intestinal morphology, intestinal mucosal immunity, and colonic microbiota in weaned piglets. A total of 96 weaned piglets (Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire), 21-d old, 6.65 ± 0.02 kg body weight (BW)) were randomly allocated into 3 treatment groups (8 replicate pens per treatment, each pen containing 4 males; n = 32/treatment) for 14 d. Piglets were fed a control diet (CON) or the CON diet supplemented with 20.4 mg/kg niacin (NA) or an antagonist for the niacin receptor GPR109A (MPN). The results showed that NA or MPN had no effect on ADG, ADFI, G/F or diarrhea incidence compared with the CON diet. However, compared with piglets in the NA group, piglets in the MPN group had lower ADG (p = 0.042) and G/F (p = 0.055). In comparison with the control and MPN group, niacin supplementation increased the villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (p < 0.05), while decreasing the crypt depth in the duodenum (p < 0.05). Proteomics analysis of cytokines showed that niacin supplementation increased the expression of duodenal transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), jejunal interleukin-10 (IL-10) and ileal interleukin-6 (IL-6) (p < 0.05), and reduced the expression of ileal interleukin-8 (IL-8) (p < 0.05) compared with the control diet. Piglets in the MPN group had significantly increased expression of ileal IL-6, and jejunal IL-8 and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) (p < 0.05) compared with those in the control group. Piglets in the MPN group had lower jejunal IL-10 level and higher jejunal IL-8 level than those in the NA group (p < 0.05). The mRNA abundance of duodenal IL-8 and ileal granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) genes were increased (p < 0.05), and that of ileal IL-10 transcript was decreased (p < 0.05) in the MPN group compared with both the control and NA groups. Additionally, niacin increased the relative abundance of Dorea in the colon as compared with the control and MPN group (p < 0.05), while decreasing that of Peptococcus compared with the control group (p < 0.05) and increasing that of Lactobacillus compared with MPN supplementation (p < 0.05). Collectively, the results indicated that niacin supplementation efficiently ensured intestinal morphology and attenuated intestinal inflammation of weaned piglets. The protective effects of niacin on gut health may be associated with increased Lactobacillus and Dorea abundance and butyrate content and decreased abundances of Peptococcus.
Highlights
Weaning piglets from sows is one of the most stressful events in a pig’s life [1]
Niacin ensured growth performance and intestinal morand regulated mucosal immunity and colonic of weaned the phology and regulated mucosal immunity andmicrobiota colonic microbiota of piglets; weanedhowever, piglets; howbeneficial effects of niacin are suppressed after a ever, the beneficial effects of niacin are suppressed after a G protein-coupled receptor 109A (GPR109A) antagonist adminThe results in the present study showed no significant improvement in the growth istration
Previous studies have shown that dietary niacin has no performance of weaned piglets in the niacin supplementation group compared with that effect on average daily gain (ADG) or average daily feed intake (ADFI) in early-weaned and growing pigs [34,35]
Summary
Weaning piglets from sows is one of the most stressful events in a pig’s life [1]. This process has been shown to be the main cause of intestinal and immune system dysfunction [2], as well as leading to a lower growth rate and severe diarrhea in weaned piglets [3,4,5,6].prevention of intestinal barrier function impairment and inflammation induced by weaning stress may be a potential strategy for the treatment of intestinal injury.Niacin, known as vitamin B3 or nicotinic acid, is a water-soluble vitamin belonging to the vitamin B family [7,8]. Weaning piglets from sows is one of the most stressful events in a pig’s life [1]. This process has been shown to be the main cause of intestinal and immune system dysfunction [2], as well as leading to a lower growth rate and severe diarrhea in weaned piglets [3,4,5,6]. At the pharmacological dose level (0.5–3 g/day), niacin alleviates inflammation in human monocytes by decreasing the secretion of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) through a G protein-coupled receptor 109A (GPR109A)-dependent pathway [10,11]. Niacin has a beneficial effect by attenuating the inflammatory mechanisms involved in atherosclerosis pathology and plaque stabilization [12]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
