Fructooligosaccharide Reduces Weanling Pig Diarrhea in Conjunction with Improving Intestinal Antioxidase Activity and Tight Junction Protein Expression.

Zeyu Zhang,Jinbiao Zhao,Shuai Zhang,Ge Zhang

doi:10.3390/nu14030512

Abstract

This study was to illustrate the effects of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on the antioxidant capacity, intestinal barrier function, and microbial community of weanling pigs. Results showed that FOS reduced the incidence of diarrhea (6.5 vs. 10.8%) of pigs (p < 0.05) but did not affect growth performance when compared with the control group. A diet supplemented with FOS increased ileal mRNA expression of occludin (1.7 vs. 1.0), claudin-1 (1.9 vs. 1.0), claudin-2 (1.8 vs. 1.0), and claudin-4 (1.7 vs. 1.0), as well as colonic mRNA expression of ZO-1 (1.6 vs. 1.0), claudin-1 (1.7 vs. 1.0), occludin (1.9 vs. 1.0), and pBD-1 (1.5 vs. 1.0) when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). FOS supplementation improved the anti-oxidase activity and expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and decreased concentrations of D-lactate (3.05 U/L vs. 2.83 U/L) and TNF-α (59.1 pg/mL vs. 48.0 pg/mL) in the serum when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, FOS increased Sharpea, Megasphaera, and Bacillus populations in the gut when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Association analysis indicated that mRNA expression of occludin and claudin-1 in the ileal mucosa were correlated positively with populations of Sharpea and Bacillus (p < 0.05). Furthermore, mRNA expression of occludin and claudin-1 in the colonic mucosa were correlated positively with abundances of Sharpea, Lactobocillus, and Bifidobacterium (p < 0.05). In conclusion, FOS activated Nrf2 signaling and increased the expression of specific tight junction proteins, which were associated with reduced diarrhea incidence.

Highlights

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) as a functional oligosaccharide is fermented by gut microbiota to produce lactic acid and short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which play an important role in regulating host nutrition and health via activating G protein-coupled receptors (GPR)
Previous researchers have reported that dietary supplementation of FOS in the last 4 weeks of gestation through to 4 weeks of lactation for sows accelerated the development of the intestinal immune system in offspring [4,5]
Many researchers have reported that FOS administration increases abundances of Lactobacillus and Bifidobactrium in order to produce more SCFA, which can activate GPR 43 and GPR 109A to suppress the signaling of NF-kB, leading to improved expression of host defense peptides and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines [7,8]

Summary

Introduction

Fructooligosaccharide (FOS) as a functional oligosaccharide is fermented by gut microbiota to produce lactic acid and short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which play an important role in regulating host nutrition and health via activating G protein-coupled receptors (GPR)and inhibiting activity of histone deacetylase (HDAC) [1,2]. Previous researchers have reported that dietary supplementation of FOS in the last 4 weeks of gestation through to 4 weeks of lactation for sows accelerated the development of the intestinal immune system in offspring [4,5]. Dietary FOS treatment of new-born piglets for 2 weeks upregulated tight junction protein expression and increased microbial diversity in the colon, as well as promoted immune system development of piglets [6]. Many researchers have reported that FOS administration increases abundances of Lactobacillus and Bifidobactrium in order to produce more SCFA, which can activate GPR 43 and GPR 109A to suppress the signaling of NF-kB, leading to improved expression of host defense peptides and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokines [7,8].

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