https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2689-6197
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Lauren Kovanda, Sofia Rengman, Snehal Tawde, Jeroen Pos, Sangwoo Park, Shuhan Sun, Jungjae Park, Kwangwook Kim, Xunde Li, Yanhong Liu, Dietary glycerides of valerate ameliorate diarrhea and impact intestinal physiology and serum biomarkers in weaned piglets infected with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli F18, Journal of Animal Science, Volume 102, 2024, skae322, https://doi.org/10.1093/jas/skae322
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Abstract
In the commercial swine farm setting, the postweaning period is a critical window during which piglets are highly susceptible to infection and enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC)-associated diarrhea. Short-chain fatty acids and their glycerides are compounds that may influence intestinal health; however, valerate is one that has not been well-characterized for its role as a dietary supplement. Therefore, the major objective of this experiment was to investigate two forms of valerate glycerides on diarrhea, intestinal physiology, and systemic immunity of weaned pigs experimentally infected with ETEC F18. Dietary treatments included a control diet and three additional diets supplemented with 0.075% monovalerin, 0.1% monovalerin, or 0.1% trivalerin, respectively. Piglets were weaned (21 d to 24 d of age), individually housed, and experimental diets were fed through the 28-d trial period. After a 7-d period, all piglets were inoculated on three consecutive days with 1010 CFU ETEC F18/3 mL. Growth performance was monitored throughout the trial, and daily diarrhea scores were recorded. Rectal swabs were collected for bacterial culture to confirm the presence or absence of β-hemolytic coliforms throughout the trial. Serum samples were collected and analyzed for inflammatory biomarkers on days 0, 3, 6, and 21 postinoculation (PI) and untargeted metabolomics on day 6 PI. Intestinal mucosa and tissue sections were harvested from pigs sacrificed on day 7 PI for gene expression and histology analysis. All data, except for frequency of diarrhea and metabolomics, were analyzed by ANOVA using the PROC MIXED of SAS. Dietary trivalerin reduced (P < 0.05) the frequency of severe diarrhea over the entire trial period and the frequency of β-hemolytic coliforms on day 7 PI compared with the control. The intestinal villus height on day 7 PI in jejunum tissue was increased (P < 0.05) in pigs fed trivalerin. The mRNA expression of TNF-α was decreased (P < 0.05) in the trivalerin group, while that of ZO1 was increased (P < 0.05) compared with control. Throughout the trial, serum TNF-α was reduced in pigs fed trivalerin compared with control. Serum metabolites, adenosine, inosine, and shikimic acid were reduced (P < 0.05) on day 6 PI in all treatment groups compared with control. In conclusion, the present results indicate supplementing dietary valerate glycerides exhibited beneficial impacts on diarrhea, inflammation, and intestinal gene expression of piglets during the postweaning period.
Lay Summary
Postweaning diarrhea is a major challenge on commercial pig farms. The current study aimed to determine the efficacy of dietary valerate glycerides supplemented to weaned piglets under enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) F18 infection conditions. Valerate is a naturally occurring compound in the large intestine that may benefit host organisms and is easily utilized as a dietary feed additive in a glyceride form. Treatment diets were supplemented with monoglycerides at two doses (monovalerin; 0.075% and 0.1%) and in triglyceride form (trivalerin) at an inclusion rate of 0.1%. Compared with pigs fed a basal diet formulation with no supplements, trivalerin-supplemented pigs exhibited a reduced frequency of severe diarrhea and fecal shedding of pathogenic ETEC. Throughout the trial, an inflammatory biomarker, TNF-α, was reduced in the serum of pigs fed trivalerin. Supplementation with valerate glycerides altered intestinal gene expression and morphology and serum metabolites, indicating reduced inflammation and improved intestinal function. This experiment demonstrated the potential for the use of valerate glycerides as a dietary intervention to improve outcomes for piglets infected with ETEC F18.
