scholarly journals Dietary Hermetia illucens Larvae Replacement Alleviates Diarrhea and Improves Intestinal Barrier Function in Weaned Piglets Challenged With Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinxin Jin ◽  
Boyu Yuan ◽  
Mingming Liu ◽  
Mingqiang Zhu ◽  
Xue Zhang ◽  
...  

A high-quality protein substitute, Hermetia illucens (black soldier fly) larvae powder, is rich in protein and often used in animal feed. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility and optimal ratio of replacing fish meal with H. illucens larvae in weaned piglets and to demonstrate the effects on piglets' growth performance, intestinal microflora and immune performance. Forty-eight female weaned piglets were randomly classified into three groups. Each group consisted of eight pens (replicates), with two piglets per pen. Three groups containing different proportions of H. illucens larvae (0, 4, and 8%) were referred to as C, HI4, and HI8. We first designed a 28-day feeding experiment to detect growth performance; after that, the piglets were induced with oral gavage of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 (ETEC K88) and recording diarrhea on day 29 of the experiment. Samples were taken on the 32nd day to detect the effect of H. illucens larvae on the immune performance of the weaned piglets. H. illucens larvae replacement did not cause any obvious change in the growth performance nether in HI4 nor in HI8 of weaned piglets with 28 d feeding stage. H. illucens larvae could improve the intestinal health of weaned piglets by increasing the content of Lactobacillus and reducing the content of Streptococcus. Compared with C+K88 group, the diarrhea rate was attenuated for the H. illucens supplemented group. The integrity of ileum villi in HI4+K88 and HI8+K88 groups was better than that in C+K88 group, and the villi in C+K88 group were severely damaged. The expression of IL-10, Occludin and Claudin-3 in the intestinal mucosa of the HI4+K88 group and HI8+K88 group were significantly increased (P < 0.05), and the expression of TNF-α was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) compared with the C+K88 group. The results of immunoblotting also validated that the same ETEC K88 treatment of weaned piglets enhanced the expression of tight junction protein in the intestinal mucosa of the H. illucens addition group. ETEC-induced diarrhea will be reduced by the diet of weaned piglets containing H. illucens larvae, ameliorating the immune performance of piglets. Our results indicates that the optimal dosage of H. illucens replacement in weaned piglets is 4%.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinxin Jin ◽  
Boyu Yuan ◽  
Mingming Liu ◽  
Mingqiang Zhu ◽  
Xue Zhang ◽  
...  

Abstract Background:A high-quality protein substitute, Hermetia illucens (Black soldier fly) larvae powder is rich in protein, fat, amino acid, calcium, and other substances. Due to the relatively few studies on the feeding of weaned piglets, in the present study, we replaced part or all of the fish meal with a relevant proportion of Hermetia illucens larvae powder in the feed to study its effect on weaned piglets. A total of forty-eight young female weaned piglets (Duroc ´ Landrace ´ Large White) with initial body weights (BW) 7.68 ± 0.26 kg, were randomly divided into three groups, each group had eight replicates, two pigs per replicate. Three groups containing different proportions of Hermetia illucens larvae powder (0, 4%, and 8%) were referred to as C, HI4, and HI8. We designed a 28-day feeding experiment, collecting blood and feces, thereafter inducing the piglets with oral gavage of ETEC K88 and recording diarrhea on day 29 of the experiment. Four piglets in each group were selected to collect serum, colon contents, intestinal tissue, and jejunum, ileum, colon mucosa samples.Results:The growth performance of weaned piglets remained unaffected on supplementing feed with Hermetia illucens. Compared with C+K88 group, the diarrhea rate was found to be attenuated for the Hermetia illucens supplemented group. Severe damage was evident in the case of the ileum villi of the C+K88 group, whereas improved integrity was demonstrated by the ileum villi of the HI4+K88 and HI8+K88 groups. Significantly increased expressions of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 in the intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05) and the tight junction proteins Occludin and Claudin-3 (P < 0.05) and reduced expression of the pro-inflammatory factor TNF-α (P < 0.05) were reflected in the HI4+K88 and HI8+K88 groups as compared to the C+K88 group. The activity of antioxidant enzymes CAT and POD (P < 0.05) also revealed an effective increase in the Hermetia illucens supplemented groups than the control. The results of immunoblotting also validated that the same ETEC K88 treatment of weaned piglets enhanced the expression of tight junction protein in the intestinal mucosa of the Hermetia illucens addition group (P < 0.05) and the integrity of the intestinal barrier was also better maintained. The experimental results affirmed that Hermetia illucens larvae powder could partially or completely replace fish meal, increase the content of Lactobacillus, reduce the content of Streptococcus, improve the body’s disease resistance, and improve intestinal health.Conclusions:ETEC-induced diarrhea will be reduced by the diet of weaned piglets containing Hermetia illucens larvae, ameliorating the immune performance of pigs. The present research provides a new perspective for insect meal as a sustainable protein source for pig feed.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dingfa Wang ◽  
Luli Zhou ◽  
Hanlin Zhou ◽  
Guanyu Hou

Abstract Background: The effects of dietary supplementation with guava leaf extracts (GE) on growth performance, diarrhea and intestinal barrier function, as well as associated with its modulation of serum and fecal metabolic changes in weaned piglets challenged by enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) were investigated.Method: Fifty weaned piglets (Duroc × Yorkshire × Landrace) from 5 pens (2 piglets per pen) were randomly divided into five groups: blank control group (BC), negative control group (NC), or those supplemented with 50 mg kg-1 (S50), 100 mg kg-1 (S100), or 200 (S200) mg kg-1 diet GE, respectively. On day 4, all piglets (except for BC) were orally challenged with about 1.0 × 109 colony-forming units (CFU) enterotoxigenic ETEC. After 28-day trial, growth performance, diarrhea incidence, intestinal barrier function and metabolomics of serum and fecal were investigated.Results: We demonstrated that dietary supplementation with GE (50-200 mg kg-1) reduced diarrhea incidence of piglets and increased expression of intestinal tight junction proteins (ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-1) (P < 0.05) and sodium hydrogen exchanger 3 (NHE3) (P < 0.05). Moreover, dietary supplementation with GE (50-200 mg kg-1) upregulated level of tetrahydrofolic acid (THF) and reversed higher level of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP) caused by ETEC in serum compared with NC group (P < 0.05), and enhanced antioxidant ability of piglets. In addition, dietary addition with GE (100 mg kg-1) reversed the lower level of L-pipecolic acid caused by ETEC in feces compared with NC group (P < 0.05), and decreased oxidative stress response of piglets. Further, there were no differences (P > 0.05) in the final weight, average daily feed intake (ADFI) and F/G among dietary groups during the overall period, and piglets in S50 group has the higher average daily gain (ADG). Conclusion: Dietary supplementation with 50-200 mg kg-1 GE reduced diarrhea incidence of weaned piglets challenged by ETEC and exhibited positive effect on improving intestinal barrier function. Meanwhile, dietary addition with GE organized and redistributed energy resources through similar or dissimilar metabolic pathways, and finally enhanced antioxidant ability of piglets challenged by ETEC.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qingyuan Yi ◽  
Jiaxin Liu ◽  
Yufeng Zhang ◽  
Hanzhen Qiao ◽  
Fang Chen ◽  
...  

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary anethole supplementation on the growth performance, intestinal barrier function, inflammatory response, and intestinal microbiota of piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88. Thirty-six weaned piglets (24 ± 1 days old) were randomly allocated into four treatment groups: (1) sham challenge (CON); (2) Escherichia coli K88 challenge (ETEC); (3) Escherichia coli K88 challenge + antibiotics (ATB); and (4) Escherichia coli K88 challenge + anethole (AN). On day 12, the piglets in the ETEC, ATB, and AN group were challenged with 10 mL E. coli K88 (5 × 109 CFU/mL), whereas the piglets in the CON group were orally injected with 10 mL nutrient broth. On day 19, all the piglets were euthanized for sample collection. The results showed that the feed conversion ratio (FCR) was increased in the Escherichia coli K88-challenged piglets, which was reversed by the administration of antibiotics or anethole (P &lt; 0.05). The duodenum and jejunum of the piglets in ETEC group exhibited greater villous atrophy and intestinal morphology disruption than those of the piglets in CON, ATB, and AN groups (P &lt; 0.05). Administration of anethole protected intestinal barrier function and upregulated mucosal layer (mRNA expression of mucin-1 in the jejunum) and tight junction proteins (protein abundance of ZO-1 and Claudin-1 in the ileum) of the piglets challenged with Escherichia coli K88 (P &lt; 0.05). In addition, administration of antibiotics or anethole numerically reduced the plasma concentrations of IL-1β and TNF-α (P &lt; 0.1) and decreased the mRNA expression of TLR5, TLR9, MyD88, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 in the jejunum of the piglets after challenge with Escherichia coli K88 (P &lt; 0.05). Dietary anethole supplementation enriched the abundance of beneficial flora in the intestines of the piglets. In summary, anethole can improve the growth performance of weaned piglets infected by ETEC through attenuating intestinal barrier disruption and intestinal inflammation.


Author(s):  
Qian Lin ◽  
Guoqi Su ◽  
Aimin Wu ◽  
Daiwen Chen ◽  
Bing Yu ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is one of the leading bacterial causes of intestinal inflammation and diarrhea. However, the ETEC is frequently resistant to common antibiotics. In this study, we explored the role of a novel antibacterial peptide Bombyx mori gloverin A2 (BMGlvA2) in alleviating ETEC-induced inflammation and intestinal epithelium disruption in mice. Methods An ETEC-challenged mice model was used, and the ETEC-challenged mice and non-challenged mice were treated by the BMGlvA2 at different doses. Results ETEC challenge not only elevated the concentrations of serum inflammatory cytokines such as the IL-6 and TNF-α (P < 0.01), but also elevated the concentrations of serum creatinine and urea (P < 0.05). However, BMGlvA2 attenuated the inflammatory responses by decreasing the serum inflammatory cytokines and improving the metabolisms in ETEC-challenged mice, and alleviated the ETEC-induced tissue damage in spleen. Moreover, BMGlvA2 treatment significantly elevated the duodenum villus height and decreased the crypt depth in the duodenum and ileum in ETEC-challenged mice (P < 0.05). Interestingly, BMGlvA2 improved the distribution and abundance of tight-junction protein ZO1 in duodenum and ileum epithelium after ETEC-challenge. Moreover, BMGlvA2 significantly down-regulated the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and the apoptosis-related genes (Caspase 8 and Caspase 9) in jejunal mucosa (P < 0.05) in the TETC-challenged mice. Importantly, BMGlvA2 significantly elevated the expression levels of critical genes related to mucosal barrier functions such as the mucins (MUC1 and MUC2) and glucose transporter (GLUT2) in the intestinal mucosa (P < 0.05). Conclusion Our results suggested a novel function of the conventional antibacterial peptides, and the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of BMGlvA2 may allow it a potential substitute for conventionally used antibiotics or drugs.


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