Grape seed extract supplementation attenuates the heat stress-induced responses of jejunum epithelial cells in Simmental × Qinchuan steers

Tannic Acid Induces Intestinal Dysfunction and Intestinal Microbial Dysregulation in Brandt's Voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii) is a small herbivorous mammal that feeds on plants rich in secondary metabolites (PSMs), including tannins. However, plant defense mechanisms against herbivory by Brandt's voles are not clearly established. This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary tannic acid (TA) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activities, cecal fermentation, intestinal barrier function, and gut microbiota in Brandt's voles. The results showed that TA significantly hindered body weight gain, reduced daily food intake, changed the intestinal morphology, reduced digestive enzyme activity, and increased the serum zonulin levels (p < 0.05). The number of intestinal goblet and mast cells and the levels of serum cytokines and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgG, TNF-α, IL-6, and duodenal SlgA) were all reduced by TA (p < 0.05). Moreover, TA altered β-diversity in the colonic microbial community (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the results indicate that TA could damage the intestinal function of Brandt's voles by altering their intestinal morphology, decreasing digestive ability and intestinal barrier function, and altering microbiota composition. Our study investigated the effects of natural PSMs on the intestinal function of wildlife and improved our general understanding of plant-herbivore interactions and the ecological role of PSMs.

Screening of heat stress-regulating active fractions in mung beans

Introduction

Heat stress caused by high temperatures has important adverse effects on the safety and health status of humans and animals, and dietary interventions to alleviate heat stress in daily life are highly feasible.

Methods

In this study, the components of mung bean that have heat stress-regulating effects were characterized by in vitro antioxidant indicators and heat stress cell models.

Results

As a result, 15 target monomeric polyphenol fractions were identified based on untargeted analysis on an ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with high field quadrupole orbit high resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QE-HF-HRMS) platform and available reports. The results of DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging showed that mung bean polyphenols (crude extract) and 15 monomeric polyphenols had better antioxidant activity, followed by oil and mung bean peptides, while protein and polysaccharides had relatively poor antioxidant activity. Qualitative and quantitative assays for 20 polyphenols (15 polyphenols and 5 isomers) were then established based on platform targets. Vitexin, orientin, and caffeic acid were identified as monomeric polyphenols for heat stress control in mung beans based on their content. Finally, mild (39°C), moderate (41°C), and severe (43°C) heat stress models were successfully constructed based on mouse intestinal epithelial Mode-k cells and human colorectal adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cell lines, all with an optimal heat stress modeling time of 6 h. Screening of mung bean fractions using HSP70 mRNA content, a key indicator of heat stress. As a result, HSP70 mRNA content was significantly up-regulated by different levels of heat stress in both cell models. The addition of mung bean polyphenols (crude extract), vitexin, orientin, and caffeic acid resulted in significant down-regulation of HSP70 mRNA content, and the higher the level of heat stress, the more significant the regulation effect, with orientin having the best effect. Mung bean proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, oils and mung bean soup resulted in increased or no change in HSP70 mRNA levels after most heat stresses.

Discussion

The polyphenols were shown to be the main heat stress regulating components in mung bean. The results of the validation experiments confirm that the above three monomeric polyphenols may be the main heat stress regulating substances in mung bean. The role of polyphenols in the regulation of heat stress is closely linked to their antioxidant properties.

The Role of Polyphenols in Regulation of Heat Shock Proteins and Gut Microbiota in Weaning Stress

Gut microbiota is the natural residents of the intestinal ecosystem which display multiple functions that provide beneficial effects on host physiology. Disturbances in gut microbiota in weaning stress are regulated by the immune system and oxidative stress-related protein pathways. Weaning stress also alters gut microbiota response, limits digestibility, and influences animal productive performance through the production of inflammatory molecules. Heat shock proteins are the molecular chaperones that perform array functions from physiological to pathological point of view and remodeling cellular stress response. As it is involved in the defense mechanism, polyphenols ensure cellular tolerance against enormous stimuli. Polyphenols are nature-blessed compounds that show their existence in plenty of amounts. Due to their wider availability and popularity, they can exert strong immunomodulatory, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory activities. Their promising health-promoting effects have been demonstrated in different cellular and animal studies. Dietary interventions with polyphenols may alter the gut microbiome response and attenuate the weaning stress related to inflammation. Further, polyphenols elicit health-favored effects through ameliorating inflammatory processes to improve digestibility and thereby exert a protective effect on animal production. Here, in this article, we will expand the role of dietary polyphenol intervention strategies in weaning stress which perturbs gut microbiota function and also paid emphasis to heat shock proteins in gut health. This review article gives new direction to the feed industry to formulate diet containing polyphenols which would have a significant impact on animal health.

Effects of Resveratrol on Growth Performance, Intestinal Development, and Antioxidant Status of Broilers under Heat Stress

Simple Summary

Broilers have unique physiological characteristics, no sweat glands and full of feathers, which makes it difficult to dissipate heat in high-temperature environments and is prone to heat stress (HS). HS has strong adverse effects on the meat production, growth performance, intestinal morphology, mortality and welfare of broilers, which can be alleviated by nutrition regulation. Resveratrol has been found to reduce the damage of HS on meat quality, immune and inflammatory response of broilers. However, there are few reports on the effects of resveratrol on the intestinal development and antioxidant capacity of broilers under HS. We demonstrated that resveratrol could improve the intestinal development and growth performance of broilers under HS. Besides, these findings suggest that resveratrol may offer an effective nutritional strategy to improve intestinal antioxidant function by regulating the expression of critical factors in the Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Abstract

The study investigated resveratrol’s effect on growth performance, intestinal development, and antioxidant capacity of broilers subjected to heat stress (HS). A total of 162 21-day-old male AA broilers were randomly divided into 3 treatment groups with 6 replicates of 9 birds each. The 3 treatment groups were as follows: the control (CON), in which broilers were housed at 22 ± 1 °C for 24 h day⁻¹, and the HS and HS + resveratrol (400 mg/kg) groups, in which broilers were housed at 33 ± 1 °C for 10 h a day from 8:00 to 18:00 and 22 ± 1 °C for rest of the time. Results indicated that birds in the HS group exhibited lower (p < 0.05) final body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) compared with birds in the CON group. HS birds also had lower (p < 0.05) relative jejunum weight, relative ileum and jejunum length, jejunal villus height, and villus height to crypt depth ratios than the CON group. The activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), glutathione S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and the mRNA levels of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), SOD1, and GPX were also lower (p < 0.05) in the HS than CON group. The HS group had higher (p < 0.05) protein carbonyl (PC) contents and Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) mRNA levels. Compared with HS group, the HS + resveratrol group exhibited higher (p < 0.05) BW and ADG, relative jejunum weight, relative length of ileum, jejunal villus height, activities of GPX and GST, and mRNA levels of Nrf2 and SOD1, but they had lower (p < 0.05) PC content and Keap1 mRNA levels. In conclusion, resveratrol can improve the intestinal development and antioxidant function of broilers under HS, and therefore improve growth performance. The mechanism by which resveratrol enhances the intestinal antioxidant capacity is mediated by Nrf2 signaling pathway.

Grape seed extract and chromium nicotinate reduce impacts of heat stress in Simmental × Qinchuan steers

To assess the impacts of grape seed extract (GSE) fed with or without chromium nicotinate (CN) on beef steers under heat stress conditions, 40 Simmental × Qinchuan steers (400 ± 10 days old; 410 ± 8.0 kg) were randomly assigned to one of four diets (n = 10 per group): basal diet (CON group); basal diet + 33 mg/day CN (CN group); basal diet + 65 mg/kg DM GSE (GSE group); and basal diet + 33 mg/day CN + 65 mg/kg DM GSE (CN + GSE group). This study was conducted in summer and the steers were housed in outdoor shaded pens (10 steers/pen) and fed individually. The experiment lasted for 35 days, the first 7 days for diet and housing condition adaptation. The amount of feed intake was recorded daily; individual bodyweight was recorded on Days 8, 22, and 36. On Day 36 before feeding, six steers per group were slaughtered for collection of blood and tissue samples. Average daily liveweight gain and dry matter intake of steers were increased by the GSE, CN, and CN + GSE treatments (P &lt; 0.05). Dietary treatments increased the activities of glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase in plasma (P &lt; 0.05) and plasma concentration of interleukin 10 on Days 22 and 36 (P &lt; 0.05), whereas decreased plasma concentration of tumour necrosis factor-α on Day 22 (P &lt; 0.05). Overall, supplementation of GSE alone or with CN had positive effects on the growth performance of steers under heat stress conditions.

Activation of Pyruvate Dehydrogenase by Sodium Dichloroacetate Shifts Metabolic Consumption from Amino Acids to Glucose in IPEC-J2 Cells and Intestinal Bacteria in Pigs

The extensive metabolism of amino acids (AA) as fuel is an important reason for the low use efficiency of protein in pigs. In this study, we investigated whether regulation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase (PDK)/pyruvate dehydrogenase alpha 1 (PDHA1) pathway affected AA consumption by porcine intestinal epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells and intestinal bacteria in pigs. The effects of knockdown of PDHA1 and PDK1 with small interfering RNA (siRNA) on nutrient consumption by IPEC-J2 cells were evaluated. IPEC-J2 cells were then cultured with sodium dichloroacetate (DCA) to quantify AA and glucose consumption and nutrient oxidative metabolism. The results showed that knockdown of PDHA1 using siRNA decreased glucose consumption but increased total AA (TAA) and glutamate (Glu) consumption by IPEC-J2 cells ( P < 0.05). Opposite effects were observed using siRNA targeting PDK1 ( P < 0.05). Additionally, culturing IPEC-J2 cells in the presence of 5 mM DCA markedly increased the phosphorylation of PDHA1 and PDH phosphatase 1, but inhibited PDK1 phosphorylation ( P < 0.05). DCA treatment also reduced TAA and Glu consumption and increased glucose depletion ( P < 0.05). These results indicated that PDH was the regulatory target for shifting from AA metabolism to glucose metabolism and that culturing cells with DCA decreased the consumption of AAs by increasing the depletion of glucose through PDH activation.

Heat Shock Protein Augmentation of Angelica gigas Nakai Root Hot Water Extract on Adipogenic Differentiation in Murine 3T3-L1 Preadipocytes

There is a high association of heat shock on the alteration of energy and lipid metabolism. The alterations associated with thermal stress are composed of gene expression changes and adaptation through biochemical responses. Previous study showed that Angelica gigas Nakai (AGN) root extract promoted adipogenic differentiation in murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes under the normal temperature condition. However, its effect in heat shocked 3T3-L1 cells has not been established. In this study, we investigated the effect of AGN root hot water extract in the adipogenic differentiation of murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes following heat shock and its possible mechanism of action. Thermal stress procedure was executed within the same stage of preadipocyte confluence (G0) through incubation at 42°C for one hour and then allowed to recover at normal incubation temperature of 37°C for another hour before AGN treatment for both cell viability assay and Oil Red O. Cell viability assay showed that AGN was able to dose dependently (0 to 400 μg/mL) increase cell proliferation under normal incubation temperature and also was able to prevent cytotoxicity due to heat shock accompanied by cell proliferation. Confluent preadipocytes were subjected into heat shock procedure, recovery and then AGN treatment prior to stimulation with the differentiation solution. Heat shocked preadipocytes exhibited reduced differentiation as supported by decreased amount of lipid accumulation in Oil Red O staining and triglyceride measurement. However, those heat shocked preadipocytes that then were given AGN extract showed a dose dependent increase in lipid accumulation as shown by both evaluation procedures. In line with these results, real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis showed that AGN increased adipogenic differentiation by upregulating heat shock protection related genes and proteins together with the adipogenic markers. These findings imply the potential of AGN in heat shock amelioration among 3T3-L1 preadipocytes through heat shock factor and proteins augmentation and enhanced adipogenic marker expression.

Gut epithelial inducible heat-shock proteins and their modulation by diet and the microbiota

The epidemic of metabolic diseases has raised questions about the interplay between the human diet and the gut and its microbiota. The gut has two vital roles: nutrient absorption and intestinal barrier function. Gut barrier defects are involved in many diseases. Excess energy intake disturbs the gut microbiota and favors body entry of microbial compounds that stimulate chronic metabolic inflammation. In this context, the natural defense mechanisms of gut epithelial cells and the potential to boost them nutritionally warrant further study. One such important defense system is the activation of inducible heat-shock proteins (iHSPs) which protect the gut epithelium against oxidative stress and inflammation. Importantly, various microbial components can induce the expression of iHSPs. This review examines gut epithelial iHSPs as the main targets of microbial signals and nutrients and presents data on diseases involving disturbances of gut epithelial iHSPs. In addition, a broad literature analysis of dietary modulation of gut epithelial iHSPs is provided. Future research aims should include the identification of gut microbes that can optimize gut-protective iHSPs and the evaluation of iHSP-mediated health benefits of nutrients and food components.

The effect of grape seed and grape marc meal extract on milk performance and the expression of genes of endoplasmic reticulum stress and inflammation in the liver of dairy cows in early lactation

During the periparturient phase, cows are typically in an inflammation-like condition, and it has been suggested that inflammation associated with the development of stress of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in the liver contributes to the development of fatty liver syndrome and ketosis. In the present study, we investigated the hypothesis that feeding grape seed and grape marc meal extract (GSGME) as a plant extract rich in flavonoids attenuates inflammation and ER stress in the liver of dairy cows. Two groups of cows received either a total mixed ration as a control diet or the same total mixed ration supplemented with 1% of GSGME over the period from wk 3 prepartum to wk 9 postpartum. Dry matter intake during wk 3 to 9 postpartum was not different between the 2 groups. However, the cows fed the diet supplemented with GSGME had an increased milk yield and an increased daily milk protein yield. Cows supplemented with GSGME moreover had a significantly reduced mRNA abundancy of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 21, a stress hormone induced by various stress conditions, in the liver in wk 1 and 3 postpartum. In contrast, mRNA abundances of a total of 3 genes involved in inflammation and 14 genes involved in ER stress response, as well as concentrations of triacylglycerols and cholesterol, in liver samples of wk 1 and 3 postpartum did not differ between the 2 groups. Overall, this study shows that supplementation of GSGME did not influence inflammation or ER stress in the liver but increased milk yield, an effect that could be due to effects on ruminal metabolism.