Background Understanding the genetic basis of male reproduction in mammals remains challenging.Commercial pig populations offer a unique model for studying fertility,as semen traits are routinely recorded using high-t...Background Understanding the genetic basis of male reproduction in mammals remains challenging.Commercial pig populations offer a unique model for studying fertility,as semen traits are routinely recorded using high-throughput systems.Results In a large-scale GWAS of 15 semen traits based on 286,314 ejaculates collected from 2,954 boars of a purebred pig line,we identified 10 QTL,including four loci with recessive deleterious alleles.Several lead SNPs affected multiple semen traits.For example,a SNP on SSC6 was significantly associated with distal cytoplasmic droplets and with effects on tail abnormalities and sperm motility in a follow up analysis.The allele frequencies of some loci were different in older boar's,most likely due to culling based on poor semen quality.Using WGS,we identified six missense variants in high linkage disequilibrium(LD)with lead SNPs in genes related to sperm production(e.g.,MEIOB,CFAP74 and UBE2B).Remarkably,the frequency of some alleles with predicted deleterious effects on semen traits increased between 2013 and 2019.Conclusions Our results highlight loci with major effects on semen quality,some of which are linked to functional variants in key genes involved in spermatogenesis.The information from this study can be used to select against deleterious alleles affecting semen characteristics in pigs and provides valuable insight into the genetics of mammalian male fertility.展开更多
Background Low dietary energy levels can disrupt energy balance,causing metabolic disorders,particularly those involving in hepatic lipid metabolism.Betaine(BET),an important methyl donor,has demonstrated protective e...Background Low dietary energy levels can disrupt energy balance,causing metabolic disorders,particularly those involving in hepatic lipid metabolism.Betaine(BET),an important methyl donor,has demonstrated protective effects against liver diseases.However,its effects on hepatic lipid metabolism in pigs fed a low-net energy(NE)diet and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Thirty-two pigs(85.52±2.27 kg)were randomly assigned to four treatments:N-NE group(normal NE diet,2,475 kcal/kg NE),N-NEB group(normal NE diet+1,500 mg/kg BET,2,475 kcal/kg NE),R100-NE group(low-NE diet,2,375 kcal/kg NE),and R100-NEB group(low-NE diet+1,500 mg/kg BET,2,375 kcal/kg NE).The experiment lasted 35 d.Results There was no significant difference in growth performance among the groups(P>0.05).Reducing dietary NE levels caused liver dysfunction and increased total glyceride concentration,accompanied by lipid metabolism disorders.BET supplementation in a low-NE diet exhibited hepatoprotective roles,as evidenced by increased TP concentration and reduced ALT level in serum(P<0.05),as well as decreased fat content,adipocyte size,and total glyceride concentration in the liver(P<0.05).Meanwhile,dietary BET alleviated low-NE diet-induced hepatic lipid metabolism disorder by downregulating mRNA expressions of genes related to fatty acid transport(FABP3 and CD36)and lipogenesis(SREBP1c and FASN),while upregulating mRNA expressions involved in lipolysis(CPT1 and HSL)(P<0.05).Furthermore,dietary BET increased serum SAM concentration and the SAM/SAH ratio in pigs fed low-NE diets(P<0.05),thereby providing sufficient methyl groups through regulating the activities of enzymes participated in BET metabolism.Mechanistically,BET increased m^(6)A modification level and regulated mRNA and protein expressions of m^(6)A modified proteins including METTL3,METTL14,WTAP,YTHDF1,and ALKBH5.Correlation analysis showed a significant association between m^(6)A RNA methylation and hepatic lipid metabolism,suggesting that m^(6)A RNA methylation may play a critical role in mediating hepatic lipid metabolism.Conclusions Dietary BET supplementation in low-NE diets alleviated hepatic lipid metabolism disorders by regulating m^(6)A RNA methylation,ultimately reducing hepatic lipid accumulation in finishing pigs.展开更多
Bamei pigs,an indigenous Chinese breed,yield meat with a delectable flavor and boast higher carcass fat content compared to commercial breeds,making them a rich food source for humans.However,the differences in lipid ...Bamei pigs,an indigenous Chinese breed,yield meat with a delectable flavor and boast higher carcass fat content compared to commercial breeds,making them a rich food source for humans.However,the differences in lipid and nutrient components between the adipose tissue of Bamei pigs and commercial pigs are still unclear.The study employed UPLC-MS/MS to quantify the composition of lipids and metabolites in the backfat of both Bamei and Large White pigs.A total of 428 lipids and 193 metabolites were significantly different between the 2 groups.Specifically,Bamei pig backfat exhibited altered levels of various lipids and metabolites that may potentially contribute to nutritional and flavor differences,including unsaturated triglycerides,free fatty acids,medium-chain triglycerides,essential amino acids,vitamins and antioxidants,while maintaining reduced cholesterol levels.Furthermore,we delved into the molecular mechanisms underlying these nutritional differences by analyzing significantly different 431 m RNAs and 865 proteins and integrating the regulatory network of protein-metabolite-lipid pathway.Importantly,in the pyruvate metabolic pathway of Bamei pigs,the bioprocess of lactate production was inhibited but the acetyl-Co A production was activated,suggesting the possibility that energy allocation favors the biogenesis of lipid precursors.These findings may contribute to guiding industrial food producers in enhancing the quality of lard at the genetic and molecular levels.展开更多
Genetic improvement of meat production traits has always been the primary goal of pig breeding.Geographical isolation,natural and artificial selection led to significant differences in the phenotypes of meat productio...Genetic improvement of meat production traits has always been the primary goal of pig breeding.Geographical isolation,natural and artificial selection led to significant differences in the phenotypes of meat production traits between Chinese local pigs and Western commercial pigs.Comparative genomics and transcriptomics analysis provided powerful tools to identify genetic variants and genes associated with skeletal muscle growth.However,the number of available genetic variants and genes are still limited.In this study,a comprehensive comparison of transcriptomes showed that ribosomal protein S27-like(RPS27L)gene was highly expressed in skeletal muscle and up-regulated in Chinese local pigs when compared with Western commercial pigs.Functional analysis revealed that overexpression of RPS27L promoted myoblast proliferation and repressed differentiation in pig skeletal muscle cells.Conversely,the knockdown of RPS27L led to the inhibition of myoblast proliferation and the promotion of differentiation.Notably,a 13-bp insertion-deletion(InDel)mutation was identified within the RPS27L promoter,inserted in Chinese local breeds and predominantly deleted in Western commercial breeds.Luciferase reporter assay suggested this InDel modulated RPS27L expression by influencing transcription factor 3(TCF3)and myogenic differentiation antigen(MYOD)binding to the promoter.Furthermore,a positive correlation was observed between RPS27L expression and backfat thickness.Association studies demonstrated this InDel was significantly associated with the body weight of pigs at the age of 240 d.Together,our results suggested that RPS27L was a regulator of skeletal muscle development and growth,and was a candidate marker for improving meat production traits in pigs.This study not only provided a biomarker for animal breeding,but also was helpful for understanding skeletal muscle development and muscular disease in humans.展开更多
Background:Excessive use of inorganic trace minerals(ITMs)in swine production leads to high fecal mineral excretion and environmental risks,while most studies on organic trace minerals(OTMs)focus on single elements,wi...Background:Excessive use of inorganic trace minerals(ITMs)in swine production leads to high fecal mineral excretion and environmental risks,while most studies on organic trace minerals(OTMs)focus on single elements,with limited data on the synergistic effects and molecular mechanisms of combined OTMs(Fe,Cu,Mn,Zn)in growing-finishing pigs.Methods:This study aimed to investigate the effects of graded levels of micromineral proteinates(combined OTMs)on growth performance,mineral metabolism,and mRNA expression of mineral regulatory proteins.A total of 360 crossbred Duroc×Landrace×Large White pigs(initial body weight 47.1±4.8 kg)were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments:basal diet without microminerals(CON),basal diet with ITMs at commercially recommended levels(IT),and basal diets with 15%(OT 15%),25%(OT 25%),35%(OT 35%)commercially recommended levels(CRL)of combined micromineral proteinates.After a 70-day feeding trial,samples were analyzed using ICP-OES,ELISA,and RT-qPCR.Results:Results showed that reduced levels(15-35%CRL)of micromineral proteinates did not significantly affect average daily gain,average daily feed intake,or feed conversion ratio(gain-to-feed ratio)compared to IT(P>0.05),but significantly increased plasma Cu(1.73-1.83μg/mL)and Zn(1.72-1.97μg/mL)concentrations(P<0.05)and elevated activities of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase(32.9-35.9 U/L)and manganese superoxide dismutase(20.5-24.1 U/L)compared to CON(P<0.05),with no significant differences from IT(P>0.05).Fecal excretion of Fe,Cu,Mn,and Zn was significantly reduced by 35-50%in OT 15%-OT 35%groups compared to IT(P<0.05).OT 25%group exhibited the highest apparent absorptivity of Fe(38.5%),Cu(27.8%),and Zn(42.4%)(P<0.05),which was associated with significantly regulated mRNA expression of mineral regulatory proteins:upregulated DMT1,FPN1,ZIP4,and MT1A in the duodenum,and modulated HAMP,ATP7B,ZIP14,and ZnT1 in the liver(P<0.05).Conclusion:In conclusion,dietary supplementation with 25%CRL or less of combined micromineral proteinates can fully meet the nutritional needs of growing-finishing pigs,improve mineral absorptivity,and reduce fecal mineral excretion by regulating intestinal and hepatic mineral transport and homeostatic proteins,providing a sustainable alternative to high-dose ITMs.展开更多
AIM:To investigate the effects of different light intensities and various mydriatic and miotic drugs on pupil accommodation in guinea pigs.METHODS:Forty-two-week-old guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups ...AIM:To investigate the effects of different light intensities and various mydriatic and miotic drugs on pupil accommodation in guinea pigs.METHODS:Forty-two-week-old guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups to assess pupillary responses under varying light intensities(100,250,500 lx)and pharmacological interventions(1%atropine,1%cyclopentolate,1%tropicamide,or 2%pilocarpine).Baseline pupil size and eccentricity were recorded using a non-contact Python-based imaging system integrating edge detection and pixel-to-distance conversion.Direct illumination effects were measured at sequential time points,followed by drug administration and longitudinal tracking of pupillary changes.The protocol was repeated at 12wk of age for developmental comparisons.Postexperiment,enucleated eyes were analyzed to evaluate in vitro vs in vivo differences.RESULTS:Significant age-dependent differences in pupil dynamics were observed.Both 2-and 12-week-old guinea pigs exhibited marked pupil constriction under direct illumination(P<0.001),with decreased eccentricity post-constriction(P<0.001).Indirect illumination caused inconsistent pupil size changes(2-week:P=0.68;12-week:P=0.49).Pharmacologically,atropine,cyclopentolate,and tropicamide induced pupil dilation(P<0.001),whereas pilocarpine caused constriction(P<0.001).All drug groups showed reduced eccentricity(P<0.001).In vivo/in vitro comparisons revealed significant structural differences.CONCLUSION:This study investigates pupillary responses in developing guinea pigs,revealing a direct pupillary light reflex(PLR)with light intensity-dependent responses,while indirect PLR was undetectable.The differential effects of muscarinic modulators on pupillary responses underscore the critical role of cholinergic signaling in ocular accommodation,with age-related variations in sensitivity.Additionally,a novel non-contact measurement methodology achieved a precision of 0.01 mm for pupillary quantification,enhancing accuracy in ocular studies.展开更多
In order to obtain probiotics that can adapt to the intestinal environment of pigs and inhibit Escherichia coli(E.coli)K88,microorganisms were screened from the feces of Min pigs,and their antibacterial and biological...In order to obtain probiotics that can adapt to the intestinal environment of pigs and inhibit Escherichia coli(E.coli)K88,microorganisms were screened from the feces of Min pigs,and their antibacterial and biological characteristics were studied.Using E.coli K88 as the indicator bacterium,the supernatant of the isolated strain from Min pigs was co-cultured with the indicator bacteria for the antibacterial test.The Bacillus velezensis(B.velezensis)strain MZ-78 showed stronger antimicrobial activity against E.coli K88 than other isolates,and its supernatant inhibited the growth of other pathogens including Salmonella typhimurium(S.typhimurium),E.coli,Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus),and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P.aeruginosa).Further studies showed that the selected strain MZ-78 exhibited a certain tolerance to sodium chloride conditions.The B.velezensis strain MZ-78 exhibited no hemolytic activity and was not susceptible to antibiotics.Additionally,during metabolism,it generated a certain quantity of short-chain fatty acids,including isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid.Furthermore,this strain demonstrated the capability to counteract the adhesion of E.coli K88 to porcine small intestinal epithelial cells(IPEC-J2),while also promoting their growth and proliferation.The B.velezensis strain MZ-78 isolated from Min pigs feces showed a series of probiotic characteristics and the potential to survive in the digestive tract of animals,which indicated its potential commercial application value as a probiotic alternative to antibiotics in animal husbandry.展开更多
Background The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of different dietary soybean meal(SBM)levels on jejunal immunity in nursery pigs at different days post-weaning.Methods Forty-eight pigs(6.2±0...Background The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of different dietary soybean meal(SBM)levels on jejunal immunity in nursery pigs at different days post-weaning.Methods Forty-eight pigs(6.2±0.3 kg),weaned at 21 days of age,were assigned to 2 dietary treatments(n=12)in a randomized complete block design and fed for 20 or 42 d in 3 phases(10,10,and 22 d,respectively).The dietary treatments consisted of low and high SBM diets.On d 20 and 42,jejunal mucosa and tissue samples were collected.Treatments were arranged in 2×2 factors with dietary SBM levels(low and high SBM diets)and days post-weaning(20 d and 42 d post-weaning).Results Pigs fed high SBM diets had greater(P<0.05)relative abundance(RA)of jejunal Prevotella,tended to have greater(P=0.091)jejunal IgA,had greater(P<0.05)crypt depth,and tended to have lower(P=0.064)villus height to crypt depth ratio(VH:CD)than pigs fed low SBM diets.Pigs at 20 d post-weaning had greater(P<0.05)RA of jejunal Lactobacillus and had greater(P<0.05)jejunal IL-8 and protein carbonyl than pigs at 42 d post-weaning.Pigs at 20 d post-weaning tended to have greater(P=0.090)jejunal IgG,tended to have lower(P=0.059)jejunal IgA,and had greater(P<0.05)proportion(%)of Ki-67+cells in the jejunal crypt than pigs at 42 d post-weaning.Conclusion Pigs fed high SBM diets showed greater RA of Staphylococcus,a greater immune response,and a decreased VH:CD in the jejunum than pigs fed low SBM diets.Pigs at 20 d post-weaning were more susceptible to jejunal inflammation and intestinal damage than pigs at 42 d post-weaning,but the negative impacts of high SBM diets on jejunal inflammation and intestinal damage were consistent compared to low SBM diets at 20 d and 42 d post-weaning.展开更多
In the countryside of east Zhejiang Province,a quiet village has hit a home run.Xujiadai,once a place known for pig farming and environmental pollution,is drawing visitors from across China with a sport still uncommon...In the countryside of east Zhejiang Province,a quiet village has hit a home run.Xujiadai,once a place known for pig farming and environmental pollution,is drawing visitors from across China with a sport still uncommon in the country:baseball.展开更多
Background Our previous study demonstrated that dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis enhanced growth performance and intestinal integrity in weaned pigs challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC).T...Background Our previous study demonstrated that dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis enhanced growth performance and intestinal integrity in weaned pigs challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC).Therefore,this study aimed to explore the impact of Bacillus subtilis on gut health and its role in modulating host–microbe interactions in post-weaning pigs.Results ETEC infection disrupted key metabolic pathways in distal colon,including glutathione,beta-alanine,and pyrimidine metabolism,indicating increased oxidative stress,impaired nucleotide balance,and amino acid catabolic stress.Bacillus subtilis supplementation induced distinct metabolomic and microbiome profiles in colon digesta of weaned pigs challenged with ETEC.Bacillus subtilis-treated pigs under ETEC challenge exhibited significant enrichment in amino acid-and energy-related pathways such as arginine biosynthesis,phenylalanine metabolism,pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis.ETEC infection induced microbial dysbiosis in the distal colon,resulting in decrease(P<0.05)in abundance of Streptococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae compared to healthy controls.Bacillus subtilis supplementation mitigated the ETEC-induced disruptions by increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial families,including Lachnospiraceae and Bacteroidaceae.Conclusion Supplementation of Bacillus subtilis improves intestinal health and resilience against ETEC challenge by mitigating infection-induced metabolic disruptions and gut dysbiosis in weaned pigs.展开更多
There is a critical shortage of organs, cells, and corneas from deceased human donors worldwide. There are also shortages of human blood for transfusion. A potential solution to all of these problems is the transplant...There is a critical shortage of organs, cells, and corneas from deceased human donors worldwide. There are also shortages of human blood for transfusion. A potential solution to all of these problems is the transplantation of organs, cells, and corneas from a readily available animal species, such as the pig, and the transfusion of red blood cells from pigs into humans. However, to achieve these ends, major immunologic and other barriers have to be overcome. Considerable progress has been made in this respect by the genetic modification of pigs to protect their tissues from the primate immune response and to correct several molecular incompatibilities that exist between pig and primate. These have included knockout of genes responsible for the expression of major antigenic targets for primate natural anti-pig antibodies, insertion of human complement- and coagulation-regulatory transgenes, and knockdown of swine leukocyte antigens that stimulate the primate＇s adaptive immune response. As a result of these manipulations, the administration of novel immunosuppressive agents, and other innovations, pig hearts have now functioned in baboons for 6-8 months, pig islets have maintained normoglycemia in diabetic monkeys for 〉 1 year, and pig corneas have maintained transparency for several months. Clinical trials of pig islet trans- plantation are already in progress. Future developments will involve further genetic manipulations of the organ- source pig, with most of the genes that are likely to be beneficial already identified.展开更多
Background There is a growing focus on using various plant-derived agricultural by-products to increase the benefits of pig farming,but these feedstuffs are fibrous in nature.This study investigated the relationship b...Background There is a growing focus on using various plant-derived agricultural by-products to increase the benefits of pig farming,but these feedstuffs are fibrous in nature.This study investigated the relationship between dietary fiber physicochemical properties and feedstuff fermentation characteristics and their effects on nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and gut microbiota in growing pigs.Methods Thirty-six growing barrows(47.2±1.5 kg)were randomly allotted to 6 dietary treatments with 2 apparent viscosity levels and 3β-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios.In the experiment,nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,fecal microbial community,and production and absorption of short-chain fatty acid(SCFA)of pigs were investigated.In vitro digestion and fermentation models were used to compare the fermentation characteristics of feedstuffs and ileal digesta in the pig’s hindgut.Results The production dynamics of SCFA and dry matter corrected gas production of different feedstuffs during in vitro fermentation were different and closely related to the physical properties and chemical structure of the fiber.In animal experiments,increasing the dietary apparent viscosity and theβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased the apparent ileal digestibility(AID),apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD),and hindgut digestibility of fiber components while decreasing the AID and ATTD of dry matter and organic matter(P<0.05).In addition,increasing dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased gas exchange,heat production,and protein oxidation,and decreased energy deposition(P<0.05).The dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucanto-arabinoxylan ratios had linear interaction effects on the digestible energy,metabolizable energy,retained energy(RE),and net energy(NE)of the diets(P<0.05).At the same time,the increase of dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased SCFA production and absorption(P<0.05).Increasing the dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios increased the diversity and abundance of bacteria(P<0.05)and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria.Furthermore,increasing the dietaryβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios led to a linear increase in SCFA production during the in vitro fermentation of ileal digesta(P<0.001).Finally,the prediction equations for RE and NE were established.Conclusion Dietary fiber physicochemical properties alter dietary fermentation patterns and regulate nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and pig gut microbiota composition and metabolites.展开更多
Background Monoglycerides have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional practices due to their biolog-ical activities,including antimicrobial properties.However,few studies have assessed the efficacy of mono...Background Monoglycerides have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional practices due to their biolog-ical activities,including antimicrobial properties.However,few studies have assessed the efficacy of monoglyceride blend on weaned pigs and their impacts on performance,immune response,and gut health using a disease chal-lenge model.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary monoglycerides of short-and medium-chain fatty acids on the immunity and gut health of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18.Results Pigs supplemented with high-dose zinc oxide(ZNO)had greater(P<0.05)growth performance than other treatments,but no difference was observed in average daily feed intake between ZNO and monoglycerides groups during the post-challenge period.Pigs in ZNO and antibiotic groups had lower(P<0.05)severity of diarrhea than control,but the severity of diarrhea was not different between antibiotic and monoglycerides groups.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or ZNO had lower(P<0.05)serum haptoglobin on d 2 or 5 post-inoculation than control.Pigs in ZNO had greater(P<0.05)goblet cell numbers per villus,villus area and height,and villus height:crypt depth ratio(VH:CD)in duodenum on d 5 post-inoculation than pigs in other treatments.Pigs supplemented with monoglyc-erides,ZNO,or antibiotics had reduced(P<0.05)ileal crypt depth compared with control on d 5 post-inoculation,contributing to the increase(P=0.06)in VH:CD.Consistently,pigs in ZNO expressed the lowest(P<0.05)TNFa,IL6,IL10,IL12,IL1A,IL1B,and PTGS2 in ileal mucosa on d 5 post-inoculation,and no difference was observed in the expres-sion of those genes between ZNO and monoglycerides.Supplementation of ZNO and antibiotic had significant impacts on metabolic pathways in the serum compared with control,particularly on carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism,while limited impacts on serum metabolites were observed in monoglycerides group when compared with control.Conclusions The results suggest that supplementation of monoglyceride blend may enhance disease resist-ance of weaned pigs by alleviating the severity of diarrhea and mitigating intestinal and systemic inflammation,although the effectiveness may not be comparable to high-dose zinc oxide.展开更多
Background The composition and relative abundances of intestinal microbiota are closely related to animal growth,development and health.This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution and temp...Background The composition and relative abundances of intestinal microbiota are closely related to animal growth,development and health.This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of intestinal fungi in pigs,with a focus on fungal alterations associated with diarrhea.Methods Intestinal digesta from duodenum,jejunum,ileum,cecum,colon and feces of 8 finishing pigs(180 days old)were collected.Fecal samples were also collected from 18 pigs across different growth stages,including lactation(3 d),nursery(26 d,35 d,49 d),growing(120 d)and finishing(180 d).Additionally,feces were collected from 32 diarrheal and 32 healthy piglets at 28 days old.Fungal community profiling in these samples was performed using internal transcribed spacer(ITS)sequencing.Results A total of 9,224 amplicon sequence variants(ASVs)were detected in all of 220 samples.Intestinal fungal diversity exhibited clear biogeographic patterns,with significantly lower richness and Shannon index in the ileum(P<0.05)and significantly higher richness in the large intestine and feces(P<0.05).The fungal community structure also varied significantly across intestinal segments,with Kazachstania dominating in the ileum and Geotrichum in the duodenum and jejunum.Across growth stages,fecal fungal diversity increased after weaning.PCoA results revealed that fungal structure exhibited significant temporal changes(R=0.7313,P=0.001),with the core fungal taxa dominated by Diutina catenulata,Aspergillus restrictus and Tahromyces munnarensis.In addition,by comparing the fungal community of piglets with and without diarrhea,the richness and Shannon index were significantly higher in the diarrheal piglets than those in healthy piglets(P<0.05)with Kazachstania,Diutina and Aspergillus enriched in diarrheal piglets and Geotrichum,Tahromyces and Piromyces in healthy piglets.Conclusions The intestinal fungal community in pigs shows distinct spatial variation,with greater diversity in the large intestine.Fungal composition shifts dynamically with age,particularly around the weaning transition.This study highlights specific fungal taxa associated with diarrhea caused by weaning stress,offering new insights into the interplay between gut fungi and pig health.展开更多
Background The aim of this study was to investigate the role of necroptosis in deoxynivalenol(DON)-induced liver injury and inflammation in weaned piglets.Methods In Exp.1,12 weaned piglets were divided into 2 groups ...Background The aim of this study was to investigate the role of necroptosis in deoxynivalenol(DON)-induced liver injury and inflammation in weaned piglets.Methods In Exp.1,12 weaned piglets were divided into 2 groups including pigs fed basal diet and pigs fed diet contaminated with 4 mg/kg DON for 21 d.In Exp.2,12 weaned piglets were divided into 2 groups including con-trol piglets and piglets given a gavage of 2 mg/kg body weight(BW)DON.In Exp.3,24 weaned piglets were used in a 2×2 factorial design and the main factors including necrostatin-1(Nec-1)(DMSO or 0.5 mg/kg BW Nec-1)and DON challenge(saline or 2 mg/kg BW DON gavage).On 21 d in Exp.1,or at 6 h post DON gavage in Exp.2 and 3,pigs were killed for blood samples and liver tissues.Liver histology,blood biochemical indicators,and liver inflamma-tion and necroptosis signals were tested.Results Dietary or oral gavage with DON caused liver morphological damage in piglets.Dietary DON led to hepato-cyte damage indicated by increased aspartate transaminase(AST)activity and AST/alanine aminotransferase(ALT)ratio,and DON gavage also caused hepatocyte damage and cholestasis indicated by increased AST and alkaline phosphatase(AKP)activities.Dietary DON caused liver necroptosis indicated by increased protein abundance of total receptor interacting protein kinase 3(t-RIP3)and total mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein(t-MLKL).Moreover,DON gavage increased mRNA expression of interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-1βin liver.DON gavage also induced liver necroptosis demonstrated by increased protein abundance of t-RIP3,phosphorylated-RIP3(p-RIP3),t-MLKL and p-MLKL.However,pretreatment with Nec-1,a specific inhibitor of necroptosis,inhibited liver necroptosis indi-cated by decreased protein expression of t-RIP3,p-RIP3,t-MLKL and p-MLKL.Nec-1 pretreatment reduced liver morphological damage after DON gavage.Pretreatment with Nec-1 also attenuated liver damage induced by DON indicated by decreased activities of AST and AKP.Furthermore,Nec-1 pretreatment inhibited liver mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-1βafter DON challenge.Conclusions Our data demonstrate for the first time that necroptosis contributes to DON-induced liver injury and inflammation in piglets.展开更多
Intramuscular fat(IMF)is an important economic trait for pork quality,affecting meat flavour,juiciness,and tenderness.Hence,the improvement of IMF content is one of the hotspots of animal science to provide better mea...Intramuscular fat(IMF)is an important economic trait for pork quality,affecting meat flavour,juiciness,and tenderness.Hence,the improvement of IMF content is one of the hotspots of animal science to provide better meat product.Here,we found that most IMF-related genes are enriched in lipid metabolism processes,including fatty acid transport and uptake,fatty acid beta oxidation,lipid synthesis,lipid storage,and lipolysis.PPAR and AMPK signalling pathways are identified to be responsible for IMF deposition.Genetics and nongenetic factors(i.e.,diets,gut microbiota,age,sex and management)also positively or negatively regulate the IMF content in pigs.Taken together,this review deepens our understanding of how these factors affect pig IMF deposition and provides valuable information for moderately increasing IMF content.展开更多
Background The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms associated with conventional swine production practices has increased interest in acid-based compounds having antimicrobial properties and other biologic...Background The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms associated with conventional swine production practices has increased interest in acid-based compounds having antimicrobial properties and other biological functions as nutritional interventions.Despite the interest in organic acids and monoglycerides,few studies have examined the effects of the combination of these acid-based additives in weaned pigs under disease challenge conditions.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with blend of organic acids and/or medium-chain fatty acid monoglycerides on intestinal health and systemic immunity of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)F18 at 4-week of age.Results Dietary supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or both organic acids and monoglycerides(combination)reduced(P<0.05)the diarrhea frequency of ETEC F18-infected pigs throughout the experimental period(d−7 to 21 post-inoculation).This is consistent with the reduced(P<0.05)proportion ofβ-hemolytic coliforms in feces observed for the organic acid and combination treatments on d 10 post-inoculation.Supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or combination also reduced(P<0.05)bacterial translocation in mesenteric lymph nodes on d 21 post-inoculation.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or combination had lower(P<0.05)white blood cells on d 5 post-inoculation,and pigs fed the combination also had lower(P<0.05)lymphocytes than pigs in control group.Monoglyceride supplementation increased(P<0.05)white blood cells and neutrophils compared with control group on d 14 post-inoculation.However,supplementation with organic acid blend,monoglyceride blend,or combination did not affect growth performance in this experiment.Conclusions Supplementation with monoglycerides or organic acids alone or in combination improves the detrimental effects of ETEC F18 infection in weaned pigs,as indicated by reduced diarrhea,fecal shedding ofβ-hemolytic coliforms,and bacterial translocation,and thus enhancing disease resistance.Monoglycerides reduced the inflammatory response during peak infection,but their immunomodulatory and possible synergistic effects with organic acids need to be further investigated.展开更多
Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test pe...Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test period by automated feeding stations,which facilitate to evaluate the resilience traits.In this study,we adopted the root mean square error(RMSE)of ordinary least squares(OLS)and the negative residuals of quantile regression(QR)to generate four different novel resilience traits using daily records of feed intake and feed duration between 90 and 180 days of age in a population of commercial Duroc pigs.The genome-wide association studies(GWAS)based on single-and two-trait mixed models were carried out on 550 pigs using 48,603 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)to identify genomic regions associated with resilience traits in growing pigs.We further focused on the GWAS signals to conduct gene annotation,colocalization with multi-tissue eQTL summary statistics of PigGTEx project and identification of enhancers and promoters using the publicly available data.The genomic heritabilities of four novel resilience traits ranged from 0.09 to 0.41.The pairwise genetic and phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.16 to 0.95 and from 0.05 to 0.36,respectively.Twenty-seven SNPs were identified to be significantly associated with these resilience traits.They were distributed on nine chromosomes(SSC1,SSC2,SSC6,SSC7,SSC8,SSC12,SSC14,SSC16 and SSC17).After annotation,39 QTLs and 49 candidate genes were identified.Several of these are functionally relevant candidate genes including OTUD4,TIFA and CARD14,which are involved in the host immune response,disease susceptibility and signal transduction.Eight unique SNPs were found to be causal in both GWAS and eQTL analyses across 15 tissues.Notably,one SNP(rs80794541)was associated with eQTLs identified concurrently across seven tissues/cell types,including the macrophage cell type.Furthermore,four significant SNPs(rs81467127,rs81356029,rs80794541 and rs81305085)were linked to the function of the primed enhancer,active element,and poised promoter in five pig tissues.Using the porcine fibroblast HiC dataset,SNP(rs81356029)on SSC2 regulates the CARNS1 and SSH3,while SNP(rs80794541)on SSC7 regulates the H2AC6.In this study,we generated four novel resilience traits and identified SNPs significantly associated with these resilience traits in a Duroc pig population.GWAS signals were associated with candidate genes involving in the immune traits,and were linked to the crucial regulatory elements as well.Our findings will contribute to elucidating the genetic mechanism that can enhance genome-enabled breeding and inform further research on resilience in domestic pigs.展开更多
Background Exogenous xylanase can increase utilization of fiber and energy when included in diets for pigs,and xylo-oligosaccharides(XOS)may improve growth performance of pigs by modulating intestinal fermentation.How...Background Exogenous xylanase can increase utilization of fiber and energy when included in diets for pigs,and xylo-oligosaccharides(XOS)may improve growth performance of pigs by modulating intestinal fermentation.However,it is unclear if a stimbiotic(i.e.,a combination of xylanase and XOS)has superior effects compared with a xylanase alone,and there is a lack of data demonstrating if xylanase fed to lactating sows influences growth performance of weanling pigs.Therefore,two hypotheses were tested:1)xylanase and stimbiotic improve growth performance,apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD)of gross energy(GE)and total dietary fiber(TDF),digestible energy(DE),and intestinal health of weanling pigs and 2)offspring of sows fed xylanase in lactation have greater growth performance after weaning than offspring of sows fed no xylanase during lactation.Methods One hundred and twenty pigs were weaned from sows fed a diet without xylanase,and 120 pigs were weaned from sows fed a lactation diet containing 16,000 beechwood xylanase units per kg(initial weight:5.81±0.50 kg).Pigs were allotted to a 2×3 factorial with two sow groups(lactation diet without or with xylanase)and three dietary treatments(i.e.,control,control plus xylanase,or control plus stimbiotic).Results There were no interactions between sow treatment and post-weaning pig treatment,and sow treatment did not impact post-weaning growth or ATTD of GE and TDF in weaned pigs.From d 15 to 28 post-weaning,the ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE were greater(P<0.05)for pigs fed the diet with stimbiotic than if fed the xylanase diet or the control diet,and pigs fed the xylanase diet had greater(P<0.05)ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE than pigs fed the control diet.From d 29 to 42 post-weaning,pigs fed the diets with xylanase or stimbiotic had greater(P<0.05)ADG,ATTD of GE and TDF,and DE than pigs fed the control diet.Conclusions Pigs fed xylanase or stimbiotic had greater ATTD of GE and TDF,greater DE,and greater overall ADG,G:F,and final body weight on d 42 post-weaning than pigs fed the control diet,but feeding sows xylanase in lactation did not influence post-weaning growth performance.展开更多
基金the GEroNIMO(Genome and Epigenome Enabled Breeding in Monogastics)project.The GEroNIMO project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under Grant Agreement No 101000236。
文摘Background Understanding the genetic basis of male reproduction in mammals remains challenging.Commercial pig populations offer a unique model for studying fertility,as semen traits are routinely recorded using high-throughput systems.Results In a large-scale GWAS of 15 semen traits based on 286,314 ejaculates collected from 2,954 boars of a purebred pig line,we identified 10 QTL,including four loci with recessive deleterious alleles.Several lead SNPs affected multiple semen traits.For example,a SNP on SSC6 was significantly associated with distal cytoplasmic droplets and with effects on tail abnormalities and sperm motility in a follow up analysis.The allele frequencies of some loci were different in older boar's,most likely due to culling based on poor semen quality.Using WGS,we identified six missense variants in high linkage disequilibrium(LD)with lead SNPs in genes related to sperm production(e.g.,MEIOB,CFAP74 and UBE2B).Remarkably,the frequency of some alleles with predicted deleterious effects on semen traits increased between 2013 and 2019.Conclusions Our results highlight loci with major effects on semen quality,some of which are linked to functional variants in key genes involved in spermatogenesis.The information from this study can be used to select against deleterious alleles affecting semen characteristics in pigs and provides valuable insight into the genetics of mammalian male fertility.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFD1300502)Sichuan Science and Technology Program(2021ZDZX0009)。
文摘Background Low dietary energy levels can disrupt energy balance,causing metabolic disorders,particularly those involving in hepatic lipid metabolism.Betaine(BET),an important methyl donor,has demonstrated protective effects against liver diseases.However,its effects on hepatic lipid metabolism in pigs fed a low-net energy(NE)diet and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Thirty-two pigs(85.52±2.27 kg)were randomly assigned to four treatments:N-NE group(normal NE diet,2,475 kcal/kg NE),N-NEB group(normal NE diet+1,500 mg/kg BET,2,475 kcal/kg NE),R100-NE group(low-NE diet,2,375 kcal/kg NE),and R100-NEB group(low-NE diet+1,500 mg/kg BET,2,375 kcal/kg NE).The experiment lasted 35 d.Results There was no significant difference in growth performance among the groups(P>0.05).Reducing dietary NE levels caused liver dysfunction and increased total glyceride concentration,accompanied by lipid metabolism disorders.BET supplementation in a low-NE diet exhibited hepatoprotective roles,as evidenced by increased TP concentration and reduced ALT level in serum(P<0.05),as well as decreased fat content,adipocyte size,and total glyceride concentration in the liver(P<0.05).Meanwhile,dietary BET alleviated low-NE diet-induced hepatic lipid metabolism disorder by downregulating mRNA expressions of genes related to fatty acid transport(FABP3 and CD36)and lipogenesis(SREBP1c and FASN),while upregulating mRNA expressions involved in lipolysis(CPT1 and HSL)(P<0.05).Furthermore,dietary BET increased serum SAM concentration and the SAM/SAH ratio in pigs fed low-NE diets(P<0.05),thereby providing sufficient methyl groups through regulating the activities of enzymes participated in BET metabolism.Mechanistically,BET increased m^(6)A modification level and regulated mRNA and protein expressions of m^(6)A modified proteins including METTL3,METTL14,WTAP,YTHDF1,and ALKBH5.Correlation analysis showed a significant association between m^(6)A RNA methylation and hepatic lipid metabolism,suggesting that m^(6)A RNA methylation may play a critical role in mediating hepatic lipid metabolism.Conclusions Dietary BET supplementation in low-NE diets alleviated hepatic lipid metabolism disorders by regulating m^(6)A RNA methylation,ultimately reducing hepatic lipid accumulation in finishing pigs.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFF1000602)the National Natural Science Foundations(32202642)the earmarked fund for CARS-35-PIG.
文摘Bamei pigs,an indigenous Chinese breed,yield meat with a delectable flavor and boast higher carcass fat content compared to commercial breeds,making them a rich food source for humans.However,the differences in lipid and nutrient components between the adipose tissue of Bamei pigs and commercial pigs are still unclear.The study employed UPLC-MS/MS to quantify the composition of lipids and metabolites in the backfat of both Bamei and Large White pigs.A total of 428 lipids and 193 metabolites were significantly different between the 2 groups.Specifically,Bamei pig backfat exhibited altered levels of various lipids and metabolites that may potentially contribute to nutritional and flavor differences,including unsaturated triglycerides,free fatty acids,medium-chain triglycerides,essential amino acids,vitamins and antioxidants,while maintaining reduced cholesterol levels.Furthermore,we delved into the molecular mechanisms underlying these nutritional differences by analyzing significantly different 431 m RNAs and 865 proteins and integrating the regulatory network of protein-metabolite-lipid pathway.Importantly,in the pyruvate metabolic pathway of Bamei pigs,the bioprocess of lactate production was inhibited but the acetyl-Co A production was activated,suggesting the possibility that energy allocation favors the biogenesis of lipid precursors.These findings may contribute to guiding industrial food producers in enhancing the quality of lard at the genetic and molecular levels.
基金supported by the Sustainable Development Special Project from Shenzhen,China(KCXFZ20201221173213037)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32172697 and U23A20229)+1 种基金the Guangdong Provincial Natural Science Foundation(2021A1515011336)the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,China(CAASZDRW202406)。
文摘Genetic improvement of meat production traits has always been the primary goal of pig breeding.Geographical isolation,natural and artificial selection led to significant differences in the phenotypes of meat production traits between Chinese local pigs and Western commercial pigs.Comparative genomics and transcriptomics analysis provided powerful tools to identify genetic variants and genes associated with skeletal muscle growth.However,the number of available genetic variants and genes are still limited.In this study,a comprehensive comparison of transcriptomes showed that ribosomal protein S27-like(RPS27L)gene was highly expressed in skeletal muscle and up-regulated in Chinese local pigs when compared with Western commercial pigs.Functional analysis revealed that overexpression of RPS27L promoted myoblast proliferation and repressed differentiation in pig skeletal muscle cells.Conversely,the knockdown of RPS27L led to the inhibition of myoblast proliferation and the promotion of differentiation.Notably,a 13-bp insertion-deletion(InDel)mutation was identified within the RPS27L promoter,inserted in Chinese local breeds and predominantly deleted in Western commercial breeds.Luciferase reporter assay suggested this InDel modulated RPS27L expression by influencing transcription factor 3(TCF3)and myogenic differentiation antigen(MYOD)binding to the promoter.Furthermore,a positive correlation was observed between RPS27L expression and backfat thickness.Association studies demonstrated this InDel was significantly associated with the body weight of pigs at the age of 240 d.Together,our results suggested that RPS27L was a regulator of skeletal muscle development and growth,and was a candidate marker for improving meat production traits in pigs.This study not only provided a biomarker for animal breeding,but also was helpful for understanding skeletal muscle development and muscular disease in humans.
基金financially supported by the Hainan Province Science and Technology Special Fund(Grant no:ZDYF2024XDNY187).
文摘Background:Excessive use of inorganic trace minerals(ITMs)in swine production leads to high fecal mineral excretion and environmental risks,while most studies on organic trace minerals(OTMs)focus on single elements,with limited data on the synergistic effects and molecular mechanisms of combined OTMs(Fe,Cu,Mn,Zn)in growing-finishing pigs.Methods:This study aimed to investigate the effects of graded levels of micromineral proteinates(combined OTMs)on growth performance,mineral metabolism,and mRNA expression of mineral regulatory proteins.A total of 360 crossbred Duroc×Landrace×Large White pigs(initial body weight 47.1±4.8 kg)were randomly assigned to 6 dietary treatments:basal diet without microminerals(CON),basal diet with ITMs at commercially recommended levels(IT),and basal diets with 15%(OT 15%),25%(OT 25%),35%(OT 35%)commercially recommended levels(CRL)of combined micromineral proteinates.After a 70-day feeding trial,samples were analyzed using ICP-OES,ELISA,and RT-qPCR.Results:Results showed that reduced levels(15-35%CRL)of micromineral proteinates did not significantly affect average daily gain,average daily feed intake,or feed conversion ratio(gain-to-feed ratio)compared to IT(P>0.05),but significantly increased plasma Cu(1.73-1.83μg/mL)and Zn(1.72-1.97μg/mL)concentrations(P<0.05)and elevated activities of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase(32.9-35.9 U/L)and manganese superoxide dismutase(20.5-24.1 U/L)compared to CON(P<0.05),with no significant differences from IT(P>0.05).Fecal excretion of Fe,Cu,Mn,and Zn was significantly reduced by 35-50%in OT 15%-OT 35%groups compared to IT(P<0.05).OT 25%group exhibited the highest apparent absorptivity of Fe(38.5%),Cu(27.8%),and Zn(42.4%)(P<0.05),which was associated with significantly regulated mRNA expression of mineral regulatory proteins:upregulated DMT1,FPN1,ZIP4,and MT1A in the duodenum,and modulated HAMP,ATP7B,ZIP14,and ZnT1 in the liver(P<0.05).Conclusion:In conclusion,dietary supplementation with 25%CRL or less of combined micromineral proteinates can fully meet the nutritional needs of growing-finishing pigs,improve mineral absorptivity,and reduce fecal mineral excretion by regulating intestinal and hepatic mineral transport and homeostatic proteins,providing a sustainable alternative to high-dose ITMs.
文摘AIM:To investigate the effects of different light intensities and various mydriatic and miotic drugs on pupil accommodation in guinea pigs.METHODS:Forty-two-week-old guinea pigs were randomly divided into four groups to assess pupillary responses under varying light intensities(100,250,500 lx)and pharmacological interventions(1%atropine,1%cyclopentolate,1%tropicamide,or 2%pilocarpine).Baseline pupil size and eccentricity were recorded using a non-contact Python-based imaging system integrating edge detection and pixel-to-distance conversion.Direct illumination effects were measured at sequential time points,followed by drug administration and longitudinal tracking of pupillary changes.The protocol was repeated at 12wk of age for developmental comparisons.Postexperiment,enucleated eyes were analyzed to evaluate in vitro vs in vivo differences.RESULTS:Significant age-dependent differences in pupil dynamics were observed.Both 2-and 12-week-old guinea pigs exhibited marked pupil constriction under direct illumination(P<0.001),with decreased eccentricity post-constriction(P<0.001).Indirect illumination caused inconsistent pupil size changes(2-week:P=0.68;12-week:P=0.49).Pharmacologically,atropine,cyclopentolate,and tropicamide induced pupil dilation(P<0.001),whereas pilocarpine caused constriction(P<0.001).All drug groups showed reduced eccentricity(P<0.001).In vivo/in vitro comparisons revealed significant structural differences.CONCLUSION:This study investigates pupillary responses in developing guinea pigs,revealing a direct pupillary light reflex(PLR)with light intensity-dependent responses,while indirect PLR was undetectable.The differential effects of muscarinic modulators on pupillary responses underscore the critical role of cholinergic signaling in ocular accommodation,with age-related variations in sensitivity.Additionally,a novel non-contact measurement methodology achieved a precision of 0.01 mm for pupillary quantification,enhancing accuracy in ocular studies.
基金Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province of China(LH2021C038)the Earmarked Fund for CARS-35the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFD0501202)。
文摘In order to obtain probiotics that can adapt to the intestinal environment of pigs and inhibit Escherichia coli(E.coli)K88,microorganisms were screened from the feces of Min pigs,and their antibacterial and biological characteristics were studied.Using E.coli K88 as the indicator bacterium,the supernatant of the isolated strain from Min pigs was co-cultured with the indicator bacteria for the antibacterial test.The Bacillus velezensis(B.velezensis)strain MZ-78 showed stronger antimicrobial activity against E.coli K88 than other isolates,and its supernatant inhibited the growth of other pathogens including Salmonella typhimurium(S.typhimurium),E.coli,Staphylococcus aureus(S.aureus),and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(P.aeruginosa).Further studies showed that the selected strain MZ-78 exhibited a certain tolerance to sodium chloride conditions.The B.velezensis strain MZ-78 exhibited no hemolytic activity and was not susceptible to antibiotics.Additionally,during metabolism,it generated a certain quantity of short-chain fatty acids,including isobutyric acid and isovaleric acid.Furthermore,this strain demonstrated the capability to counteract the adhesion of E.coli K88 to porcine small intestinal epithelial cells(IPEC-J2),while also promoting their growth and proliferation.The B.velezensis strain MZ-78 isolated from Min pigs feces showed a series of probiotic characteristics and the potential to survive in the digestive tract of animals,which indicated its potential commercial application value as a probiotic alternative to antibiotics in animal husbandry.
文摘Background The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of different dietary soybean meal(SBM)levels on jejunal immunity in nursery pigs at different days post-weaning.Methods Forty-eight pigs(6.2±0.3 kg),weaned at 21 days of age,were assigned to 2 dietary treatments(n=12)in a randomized complete block design and fed for 20 or 42 d in 3 phases(10,10,and 22 d,respectively).The dietary treatments consisted of low and high SBM diets.On d 20 and 42,jejunal mucosa and tissue samples were collected.Treatments were arranged in 2×2 factors with dietary SBM levels(low and high SBM diets)and days post-weaning(20 d and 42 d post-weaning).Results Pigs fed high SBM diets had greater(P<0.05)relative abundance(RA)of jejunal Prevotella,tended to have greater(P=0.091)jejunal IgA,had greater(P<0.05)crypt depth,and tended to have lower(P=0.064)villus height to crypt depth ratio(VH:CD)than pigs fed low SBM diets.Pigs at 20 d post-weaning had greater(P<0.05)RA of jejunal Lactobacillus and had greater(P<0.05)jejunal IL-8 and protein carbonyl than pigs at 42 d post-weaning.Pigs at 20 d post-weaning tended to have greater(P=0.090)jejunal IgG,tended to have lower(P=0.059)jejunal IgA,and had greater(P<0.05)proportion(%)of Ki-67+cells in the jejunal crypt than pigs at 42 d post-weaning.Conclusion Pigs fed high SBM diets showed greater RA of Staphylococcus,a greater immune response,and a decreased VH:CD in the jejunum than pigs fed low SBM diets.Pigs at 20 d post-weaning were more susceptible to jejunal inflammation and intestinal damage than pigs at 42 d post-weaning,but the negative impacts of high SBM diets on jejunal inflammation and intestinal damage were consistent compared to low SBM diets at 20 d and 42 d post-weaning.
文摘In the countryside of east Zhejiang Province,a quiet village has hit a home run.Xujiadai,once a place known for pig farming and environmental pollution,is drawing visitors from across China with a sport still uncommon in the country:baseball.
基金supported by the United States Department of Agriculture(USDA)National Institute of Food and Agriculture,multistate project W4002。
文摘Background Our previous study demonstrated that dietary supplementation of Bacillus subtilis enhanced growth performance and intestinal integrity in weaned pigs challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC).Therefore,this study aimed to explore the impact of Bacillus subtilis on gut health and its role in modulating host–microbe interactions in post-weaning pigs.Results ETEC infection disrupted key metabolic pathways in distal colon,including glutathione,beta-alanine,and pyrimidine metabolism,indicating increased oxidative stress,impaired nucleotide balance,and amino acid catabolic stress.Bacillus subtilis supplementation induced distinct metabolomic and microbiome profiles in colon digesta of weaned pigs challenged with ETEC.Bacillus subtilis-treated pigs under ETEC challenge exhibited significant enrichment in amino acid-and energy-related pathways such as arginine biosynthesis,phenylalanine metabolism,pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis.ETEC infection induced microbial dysbiosis in the distal colon,resulting in decrease(P<0.05)in abundance of Streptococcaceae and Enterobacteriaceae compared to healthy controls.Bacillus subtilis supplementation mitigated the ETEC-induced disruptions by increasing the relative abundance of beneficial bacterial families,including Lachnospiraceae and Bacteroidaceae.Conclusion Supplementation of Bacillus subtilis improves intestinal health and resilience against ETEC challenge by mitigating infection-induced metabolic disruptions and gut dysbiosis in weaned pigs.
文摘There is a critical shortage of organs, cells, and corneas from deceased human donors worldwide. There are also shortages of human blood for transfusion. A potential solution to all of these problems is the transplantation of organs, cells, and corneas from a readily available animal species, such as the pig, and the transfusion of red blood cells from pigs into humans. However, to achieve these ends, major immunologic and other barriers have to be overcome. Considerable progress has been made in this respect by the genetic modification of pigs to protect their tissues from the primate immune response and to correct several molecular incompatibilities that exist between pig and primate. These have included knockout of genes responsible for the expression of major antigenic targets for primate natural anti-pig antibodies, insertion of human complement- and coagulation-regulatory transgenes, and knockdown of swine leukocyte antigens that stimulate the primate＇s adaptive immune response. As a result of these manipulations, the administration of novel immunosuppressive agents, and other innovations, pig hearts have now functioned in baboons for 6-8 months, pig islets have maintained normoglycemia in diabetic monkeys for 〉 1 year, and pig corneas have maintained transparency for several months. Clinical trials of pig islet trans- plantation are already in progress. Future developments will involve further genetic manipulations of the organ- source pig, with most of the genes that are likely to be beneficial already identified.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program(No.2021YFD1300201)Jilin Provincial Department of Science and Technology Innovation Platform and Talent Special Project(No.20230508090RC).
文摘Background There is a growing focus on using various plant-derived agricultural by-products to increase the benefits of pig farming,but these feedstuffs are fibrous in nature.This study investigated the relationship between dietary fiber physicochemical properties and feedstuff fermentation characteristics and their effects on nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and gut microbiota in growing pigs.Methods Thirty-six growing barrows(47.2±1.5 kg)were randomly allotted to 6 dietary treatments with 2 apparent viscosity levels and 3β-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios.In the experiment,nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,fecal microbial community,and production and absorption of short-chain fatty acid(SCFA)of pigs were investigated.In vitro digestion and fermentation models were used to compare the fermentation characteristics of feedstuffs and ileal digesta in the pig’s hindgut.Results The production dynamics of SCFA and dry matter corrected gas production of different feedstuffs during in vitro fermentation were different and closely related to the physical properties and chemical structure of the fiber.In animal experiments,increasing the dietary apparent viscosity and theβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased the apparent ileal digestibility(AID),apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD),and hindgut digestibility of fiber components while decreasing the AID and ATTD of dry matter and organic matter(P<0.05).In addition,increasing dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased gas exchange,heat production,and protein oxidation,and decreased energy deposition(P<0.05).The dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucanto-arabinoxylan ratios had linear interaction effects on the digestible energy,metabolizable energy,retained energy(RE),and net energy(NE)of the diets(P<0.05).At the same time,the increase of dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios both increased SCFA production and absorption(P<0.05).Increasing the dietary apparent viscosity andβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios increased the diversity and abundance of bacteria(P<0.05)and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria.Furthermore,increasing the dietaryβ-glucan-to-arabinoxylan ratios led to a linear increase in SCFA production during the in vitro fermentation of ileal digesta(P<0.001).Finally,the prediction equations for RE and NE were established.Conclusion Dietary fiber physicochemical properties alter dietary fermentation patterns and regulate nutrient utilization,energy metabolism,and pig gut microbiota composition and metabolites.
文摘Background Monoglycerides have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional practices due to their biolog-ical activities,including antimicrobial properties.However,few studies have assessed the efficacy of monoglyceride blend on weaned pigs and their impacts on performance,immune response,and gut health using a disease chal-lenge model.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary monoglycerides of short-and medium-chain fatty acids on the immunity and gut health of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18.Results Pigs supplemented with high-dose zinc oxide(ZNO)had greater(P<0.05)growth performance than other treatments,but no difference was observed in average daily feed intake between ZNO and monoglycerides groups during the post-challenge period.Pigs in ZNO and antibiotic groups had lower(P<0.05)severity of diarrhea than control,but the severity of diarrhea was not different between antibiotic and monoglycerides groups.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or ZNO had lower(P<0.05)serum haptoglobin on d 2 or 5 post-inoculation than control.Pigs in ZNO had greater(P<0.05)goblet cell numbers per villus,villus area and height,and villus height:crypt depth ratio(VH:CD)in duodenum on d 5 post-inoculation than pigs in other treatments.Pigs supplemented with monoglyc-erides,ZNO,or antibiotics had reduced(P<0.05)ileal crypt depth compared with control on d 5 post-inoculation,contributing to the increase(P=0.06)in VH:CD.Consistently,pigs in ZNO expressed the lowest(P<0.05)TNFa,IL6,IL10,IL12,IL1A,IL1B,and PTGS2 in ileal mucosa on d 5 post-inoculation,and no difference was observed in the expres-sion of those genes between ZNO and monoglycerides.Supplementation of ZNO and antibiotic had significant impacts on metabolic pathways in the serum compared with control,particularly on carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism,while limited impacts on serum metabolites were observed in monoglycerides group when compared with control.Conclusions The results suggest that supplementation of monoglyceride blend may enhance disease resist-ance of weaned pigs by alleviating the severity of diarrhea and mitigating intestinal and systemic inflammation,although the effectiveness may not be comparable to high-dose zinc oxide.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32372907)State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products(No.10417000023 CE0601G/004/002)。
文摘Background The composition and relative abundances of intestinal microbiota are closely related to animal growth,development and health.This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of intestinal fungi in pigs,with a focus on fungal alterations associated with diarrhea.Methods Intestinal digesta from duodenum,jejunum,ileum,cecum,colon and feces of 8 finishing pigs(180 days old)were collected.Fecal samples were also collected from 18 pigs across different growth stages,including lactation(3 d),nursery(26 d,35 d,49 d),growing(120 d)and finishing(180 d).Additionally,feces were collected from 32 diarrheal and 32 healthy piglets at 28 days old.Fungal community profiling in these samples was performed using internal transcribed spacer(ITS)sequencing.Results A total of 9,224 amplicon sequence variants(ASVs)were detected in all of 220 samples.Intestinal fungal diversity exhibited clear biogeographic patterns,with significantly lower richness and Shannon index in the ileum(P<0.05)and significantly higher richness in the large intestine and feces(P<0.05).The fungal community structure also varied significantly across intestinal segments,with Kazachstania dominating in the ileum and Geotrichum in the duodenum and jejunum.Across growth stages,fecal fungal diversity increased after weaning.PCoA results revealed that fungal structure exhibited significant temporal changes(R=0.7313,P=0.001),with the core fungal taxa dominated by Diutina catenulata,Aspergillus restrictus and Tahromyces munnarensis.In addition,by comparing the fungal community of piglets with and without diarrhea,the richness and Shannon index were significantly higher in the diarrheal piglets than those in healthy piglets(P<0.05)with Kazachstania,Diutina and Aspergillus enriched in diarrheal piglets and Geotrichum,Tahromyces and Piromyces in healthy piglets.Conclusions The intestinal fungal community in pigs shows distinct spatial variation,with greater diversity in the large intestine.Fungal composition shifts dynamically with age,particularly around the weaning transition.This study highlights specific fungal taxa associated with diarrhea caused by weaning stress,offering new insights into the interplay between gut fungi and pig health.
基金Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China(U22A20517 and 32272906).
文摘Background The aim of this study was to investigate the role of necroptosis in deoxynivalenol(DON)-induced liver injury and inflammation in weaned piglets.Methods In Exp.1,12 weaned piglets were divided into 2 groups including pigs fed basal diet and pigs fed diet contaminated with 4 mg/kg DON for 21 d.In Exp.2,12 weaned piglets were divided into 2 groups including con-trol piglets and piglets given a gavage of 2 mg/kg body weight(BW)DON.In Exp.3,24 weaned piglets were used in a 2×2 factorial design and the main factors including necrostatin-1(Nec-1)(DMSO or 0.5 mg/kg BW Nec-1)and DON challenge(saline or 2 mg/kg BW DON gavage).On 21 d in Exp.1,or at 6 h post DON gavage in Exp.2 and 3,pigs were killed for blood samples and liver tissues.Liver histology,blood biochemical indicators,and liver inflamma-tion and necroptosis signals were tested.Results Dietary or oral gavage with DON caused liver morphological damage in piglets.Dietary DON led to hepato-cyte damage indicated by increased aspartate transaminase(AST)activity and AST/alanine aminotransferase(ALT)ratio,and DON gavage also caused hepatocyte damage and cholestasis indicated by increased AST and alkaline phosphatase(AKP)activities.Dietary DON caused liver necroptosis indicated by increased protein abundance of total receptor interacting protein kinase 3(t-RIP3)and total mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein(t-MLKL).Moreover,DON gavage increased mRNA expression of interleukin(IL)-6 and IL-1βin liver.DON gavage also induced liver necroptosis demonstrated by increased protein abundance of t-RIP3,phosphorylated-RIP3(p-RIP3),t-MLKL and p-MLKL.However,pretreatment with Nec-1,a specific inhibitor of necroptosis,inhibited liver necroptosis indi-cated by decreased protein expression of t-RIP3,p-RIP3,t-MLKL and p-MLKL.Nec-1 pretreatment reduced liver morphological damage after DON gavage.Pretreatment with Nec-1 also attenuated liver damage induced by DON indicated by decreased activities of AST and AKP.Furthermore,Nec-1 pretreatment inhibited liver mRNA expression of IL-6 and IL-1βafter DON challenge.Conclusions Our data demonstrate for the first time that necroptosis contributes to DON-induced liver injury and inflammation in piglets.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32172761)the Key Research and Development Program of Hunan Province,China(2023NK2018)+1 种基金“Huxiang Young Talents Plan”Project of Hunan Province,China(2022RC1157)the College of Animal Science and Technology,Hunan Agricultural University for support。
文摘Intramuscular fat(IMF)is an important economic trait for pork quality,affecting meat flavour,juiciness,and tenderness.Hence,the improvement of IMF content is one of the hotspots of animal science to provide better meat product.Here,we found that most IMF-related genes are enriched in lipid metabolism processes,including fatty acid transport and uptake,fatty acid beta oxidation,lipid synthesis,lipid storage,and lipolysis.PPAR and AMPK signalling pathways are identified to be responsible for IMF deposition.Genetics and nongenetic factors(i.e.,diets,gut microbiota,age,sex and management)also positively or negatively regulate the IMF content in pigs.Taken together,this review deepens our understanding of how these factors affect pig IMF deposition and provides valuable information for moderately increasing IMF content.
基金supported by Animal Nutrition,Eastman Chemical Company,Kingsport,TN,USA.
文摘Background The emergence of antibiotic resistant microorganisms associated with conventional swine production practices has increased interest in acid-based compounds having antimicrobial properties and other biological functions as nutritional interventions.Despite the interest in organic acids and monoglycerides,few studies have examined the effects of the combination of these acid-based additives in weaned pigs under disease challenge conditions.Therefore,this study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with blend of organic acids and/or medium-chain fatty acid monoglycerides on intestinal health and systemic immunity of weaned pigs experimentally infected with an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)F18 at 4-week of age.Results Dietary supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or both organic acids and monoglycerides(combination)reduced(P<0.05)the diarrhea frequency of ETEC F18-infected pigs throughout the experimental period(d−7 to 21 post-inoculation).This is consistent with the reduced(P<0.05)proportion ofβ-hemolytic coliforms in feces observed for the organic acid and combination treatments on d 10 post-inoculation.Supplementation of organic acids,monoglycerides,or combination also reduced(P<0.05)bacterial translocation in mesenteric lymph nodes on d 21 post-inoculation.Pigs fed with monoglycerides or combination had lower(P<0.05)white blood cells on d 5 post-inoculation,and pigs fed the combination also had lower(P<0.05)lymphocytes than pigs in control group.Monoglyceride supplementation increased(P<0.05)white blood cells and neutrophils compared with control group on d 14 post-inoculation.However,supplementation with organic acid blend,monoglyceride blend,or combination did not affect growth performance in this experiment.Conclusions Supplementation with monoglycerides or organic acids alone or in combination improves the detrimental effects of ETEC F18 infection in weaned pigs,as indicated by reduced diarrhea,fecal shedding ofβ-hemolytic coliforms,and bacterial translocation,and thus enhancing disease resistance.Monoglycerides reduced the inflammatory response during peak infection,but their immunomodulatory and possible synergistic effects with organic acids need to be further investigated.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2024YFF1000100 and 2021YFD1301102)the National Natural Science Foundations of China(32172702)the National Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(ASTIP-IAS02).
文摘Resilience traits in pig populations allow animals to deal better with infectious disease and suboptimal production environments.The data on daily weight,feed intake and feed behaviors in pigs are collected in test period by automated feeding stations,which facilitate to evaluate the resilience traits.In this study,we adopted the root mean square error(RMSE)of ordinary least squares(OLS)and the negative residuals of quantile regression(QR)to generate four different novel resilience traits using daily records of feed intake and feed duration between 90 and 180 days of age in a population of commercial Duroc pigs.The genome-wide association studies(GWAS)based on single-and two-trait mixed models were carried out on 550 pigs using 48,603 single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)to identify genomic regions associated with resilience traits in growing pigs.We further focused on the GWAS signals to conduct gene annotation,colocalization with multi-tissue eQTL summary statistics of PigGTEx project and identification of enhancers and promoters using the publicly available data.The genomic heritabilities of four novel resilience traits ranged from 0.09 to 0.41.The pairwise genetic and phenotypic correlations ranged from 0.16 to 0.95 and from 0.05 to 0.36,respectively.Twenty-seven SNPs were identified to be significantly associated with these resilience traits.They were distributed on nine chromosomes(SSC1,SSC2,SSC6,SSC7,SSC8,SSC12,SSC14,SSC16 and SSC17).After annotation,39 QTLs and 49 candidate genes were identified.Several of these are functionally relevant candidate genes including OTUD4,TIFA and CARD14,which are involved in the host immune response,disease susceptibility and signal transduction.Eight unique SNPs were found to be causal in both GWAS and eQTL analyses across 15 tissues.Notably,one SNP(rs80794541)was associated with eQTLs identified concurrently across seven tissues/cell types,including the macrophage cell type.Furthermore,four significant SNPs(rs81467127,rs81356029,rs80794541 and rs81305085)were linked to the function of the primed enhancer,active element,and poised promoter in five pig tissues.Using the porcine fibroblast HiC dataset,SNP(rs81356029)on SSC2 regulates the CARNS1 and SSH3,while SNP(rs80794541)on SSC7 regulates the H2AC6.In this study,we generated four novel resilience traits and identified SNPs significantly associated with these resilience traits in a Duroc pig population.GWAS signals were associated with candidate genes involving in the immune traits,and were linked to the crucial regulatory elements as well.Our findings will contribute to elucidating the genetic mechanism that can enhance genome-enabled breeding and inform further research on resilience in domestic pigs.
基金financial support for this research by AB Vista,Marlborough,UK,is greatly appreciated.
文摘Background Exogenous xylanase can increase utilization of fiber and energy when included in diets for pigs,and xylo-oligosaccharides(XOS)may improve growth performance of pigs by modulating intestinal fermentation.However,it is unclear if a stimbiotic(i.e.,a combination of xylanase and XOS)has superior effects compared with a xylanase alone,and there is a lack of data demonstrating if xylanase fed to lactating sows influences growth performance of weanling pigs.Therefore,two hypotheses were tested:1)xylanase and stimbiotic improve growth performance,apparent total tract digestibility(ATTD)of gross energy(GE)and total dietary fiber(TDF),digestible energy(DE),and intestinal health of weanling pigs and 2)offspring of sows fed xylanase in lactation have greater growth performance after weaning than offspring of sows fed no xylanase during lactation.Methods One hundred and twenty pigs were weaned from sows fed a diet without xylanase,and 120 pigs were weaned from sows fed a lactation diet containing 16,000 beechwood xylanase units per kg(initial weight:5.81±0.50 kg).Pigs were allotted to a 2×3 factorial with two sow groups(lactation diet without or with xylanase)and three dietary treatments(i.e.,control,control plus xylanase,or control plus stimbiotic).Results There were no interactions between sow treatment and post-weaning pig treatment,and sow treatment did not impact post-weaning growth or ATTD of GE and TDF in weaned pigs.From d 15 to 28 post-weaning,the ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE were greater(P<0.05)for pigs fed the diet with stimbiotic than if fed the xylanase diet or the control diet,and pigs fed the xylanase diet had greater(P<0.05)ADG,G:F,ATTD of GE and TDF,and concentration of DE than pigs fed the control diet.From d 29 to 42 post-weaning,pigs fed the diets with xylanase or stimbiotic had greater(P<0.05)ADG,ATTD of GE and TDF,and DE than pigs fed the control diet.Conclusions Pigs fed xylanase or stimbiotic had greater ATTD of GE and TDF,greater DE,and greater overall ADG,G:F,and final body weight on d 42 post-weaning than pigs fed the control diet,but feeding sows xylanase in lactation did not influence post-weaning growth performance.
