Abstract
To explore the effect of mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) on intestinal health in weaned pigs upon Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 (ETEC) challenge, thirty-two male weaned pigs were randomly assigned into four groups. Pigs fed with a basal diet or basal diet containing MOS (0.6 g/kg) were orally infused with ETEC or culture medium. Results showed that MOS significantly elevated the digestibility of crude protein (CP) and gross energy (GE) in both ETEC-challenged and non-challenged pigs (P < 0.05). MOS also elevated serum concentrations of immunoglobulin (Ig) A and IgM (P < 0.05), but decreased serum concentrations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 (P < 0.05) in ETEC-challenged pigs. Interestingly, MOS increased villus height and the ratio of villus height to crypt depth (V/C) in duodenum and ileum (P < 0.05). MOS also increased duodenal sucrase and ileal lactase activity in ETEC-challenged pigs (P < 0.05). MOS decreased the abundance of Escherichia coli, but increased the abundance of Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Bacillus in cecum (P < 0.05). Importantly, MOS not only elevated the expression levels of zonula occludins-1 (ZO-1), claudin-1, and glucose transporter-2 (GLUT-2) in duodenum (P < 0.05), but also elevated the expression levels of ZO-1, GLUT-2, and L-type amino acid transporter-1 (LAT-1) in ileum (P < 0.05) upon ETEC challenge. These results suggested that MOS can alleviate inflammation and intestinal injury in weaned pigs upon ETEC challenge, which was associated with suppressed secretion of inflammatory cytokines and elevated serum immunoglobulins, as well as improved intestinal epithelium functions and microbiota.
Amelioration of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli-induced disruption of intestinal epithelium by manno-oligosaccharide in weaned pigs
