Yeast-based nucleotide supplementation in mother sows modifies the intestinal barrier function and immune response of neonatal pigs

Lumin Gao; Chunyan Xie; Xiaoxiao Liang; Zhihong Li; Biao Li; Xin Wu; Yulong Yin

doi:10.1016/j.aninu.2020.06.009

Yeast-based nucleotide supplementation in mother sows modifies the intestinal barrier function and immune response of neonatal pigs

Anim Nutr. 2021 Mar;7(1):84-93. doi: 10.1016/j.aninu.2020.06.009. Epub 2021 Jan 5.

Authors

Lumin Gao¹, Chunyan Xie², Xiaoxiao Liang³, Zhihong Li⁴, Biao Li⁴, Xin Wu^{1

2

5}, Yulong Yin^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences, National Engineering Laboratory for Pollution Control and Waste Utilization in Livestock and Poultry Production, Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Healthy Livestock and Poultry Production, Changsha, Hunan 410125, China.
² Hunan Co-Innovation Center of Safety Animal Production, College of Resources and Environment, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha 410128, China.
³ Henan Zhongke Ground Food Co., Ltd, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
⁴ The Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Yeast Function, Angel Yeast Co., Ltd, Yichang 443003, China.
⁵ Institute of Biological Resources, Jiangxi Academy of Sciences, Nanchang 330096, China.

Abstract

In the present study, we aimed to evaluate the effects of maternal yeast-based nucleotide (YN) supplementation on the intestinal immune response and barrier function in neonatal pigs, as well as the diarrhoea rate and growth performance in suckling piglets. Sixty-four late-gestation sows were assigned to the following groups: the CON (fed a basal diet) and YN groups (fed a basal diet with 4 g YN/kg diet). The experiment started on d 85 of gestation and ended on d 20 of lactation. Diarrhoea rate and average daily gain of the piglets were recorded, and samples of blood and intestines from neonatal piglets were collected before they consumed colostrum during farrowing. Compared with the CON group, maternal YN supplementation increased the weaning weight of litter and decreased the diarrhoea rate (P < 0.01). In addition, maternal YN supplementation promoted the ileal villus development in the neonates compared with that in the CON group (P < 0.01). Maternal YN supplementation also increased the ileal secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) level compared with that in the CON group (P < 0.05). The real-time PCR results showed that maternal dietary YN supplementation increased the jejunal and ileal expression of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-8, IL-1β, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)- α in the neonates compared with that in the CON group (P < 0.05). Overall, maternal nucleotide supplementation improved the villus development and innate immunity of neonatal piglets during late pregnancy. This may be associated with the decrease in diarrhoea and the increase in weaning weight of the litter of suckling piglets.

Keywords: Diarrhoea; Growth performance; Neonatal piglet; Nucleotide; Sow.