PSXIV-42 Late-Breaking: Effects of yeast cell wall product on growth performance, immune responses, and gene expression of tight junction proteins of weaned pigs

Abstract

Abstract The study was conducted to investigate effects of yeast cell wall product on growth performance, immune responses, and gene expression of tight junction proteins of weaned pigs. A total of 112 weaned pigs (7.98 ± 0.43 kg BW) were randomly assigned to 2 dietary treatments (8 pigs/pen; 7 replicates/treatments) for 4 weeks in a randomized complete block design (block = BW). Dietary treatments were 1) a commercial basal nursery diet (CON) and 2) CON + 0.05% yeast cell wall product (YCW, EasyBio Inc., Seoul, Korea). Blood was collected from one randomly selected pig per pen on d 0, 7, and 14 after weaning. The randomly selected one pig per replicate was euthanized to collect ileum tissue samples at the end of the experimental period. Measurements were growth performance, number of white blood cells (WBC) by an automated hematology analyzer calibrated for porcine blood, cortisol, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), transforming growth factor-β1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) by the ELISA, and gene expression of tight junction in ileum tissues. Data were analyzed using the PROC GLM procedure of SAS. The statistical model for every measurement included dietary effect and BW as a covariate. Pigs fed YCW had higher (P < 0.10) ADG than those fed CON during overall experimental period. Pigs fed YCW had lower WBC on d 14 (P < 0.10), TNF-α on d 7 (P < 0.10), and decreased IL-1β on d 14 (P < 0.05) than those fed CON. In addition, The YCW increased (P < 0.05) expression of Claudin family, Occludin, Muc1, INF-α, and IL-6, but decreased (P < 0.05) expression of TNF-α genes in the ileum tissues compared with CON. In conclusion, addition of yeast cell wall product in the nursery diet improved growth performance and gut health and modified immune responses of weaned pigs.