Illicium verum and Eucommia ulmoides leaf extracts promote nutrient availability and antioxidant capacity in piglets by upregulating duodenal and jejunal Nrf2/TNF-α

Effect of dietary Eucommia ulmoides oliver polysaccharide on immune function and meat quality of Songliao Black Pigs

Eucommia ulmoides is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, with pharmacological effects such as lowering blood pressure and enhancing immune function. The effects of dietary Eucommia ulmoides polysaccharide (EUP) on immune function and meat quality were studied in Songliao Black Pigs. Blood lymphocyte counts and percentage, concentrations of serum total protein and of albumin increased, whereas those of urea nitrogen and triglyceride decreased. White blood cell and lymphocyte counts, and serum IgA, IgE, IgG2 a and IFN-γ increased. Average daily weight gain, slaughter weight, lean meat rate and cooked meat rate increased, whereas pH24, feed-weight ratio, fat rate, yellowness (b#) and centrifugal dehydration rate decreased. Transcriptome sequencing of longissimus dorsi muscle detected 32 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 26 were up-regulated and 6 down-regulated. A total of 19 genes were differentially expressed in the four groups, 18 of which were up-regulated. The DEGs included ADAMTS4, PER1, STAC, SERPINE1, FASN, THRSP, SP7 and KRT80 and the protein interaction network showed 20 up-regulated nodes, three down-regulated nodes and 14 DEGs. GO functional annotation and enrichment analysis showed that 34 items were significantly enriched, including transferase activity, actin binding, acetyl coenzyme A, acyl coenzyme A metabolism, adipose tissue development and acyl glycerol homeostasis. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the AMPK and PPAR signaling pathways were enriched. Dietary Eucommia polysaccharide enhanced immune function in Songliao Black Pigs, improved growth and carcass performance, increased the expression of genes related to meat quality traits and improved meat quality.

Zearalenone Promotes Uterine Hypertrophy through AMPK/mTOR Mediated Autophagy

Zearalenone (ZEN), a non-steroidal Fusarium graminearum with an estrogen effect, can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, immune organs, liver, and reproductive system. Further analysis of the mechanism of ZEN has become an important scientific issue. We have established in vivo and in vitro models of ZEN intervention, used AMPK/mTOR as a targeted pathway for ZEN reproductive toxicity, and explored the molecular mechanism by which ZEN may induce uterine hypertrophy in weaned piglets. Our study strongly suggested that ZEN can activate the phosphorylation of AMPK in uterine endometrial epithelium cells, affect the phosphorylation level of mTOR through TSC2 and Rheb, induce autophagy, upregulate the expression of proliferative genes PCNA and BCL2, downregulate the expression of apoptotic gene BAX, promote uterine endometrial epithelium cells proliferation, and ultimately lead to thickening of the endometrial and myometrium, increased density of uterine glands, and induce uterine hypertrophy.

Effect of N-Carbamylglutamate Supplementation on Growth Performance, Jejunal Morphology, Amino Acid Transporters, and Antioxidant Ability of Weaned Pigs

Weaning is an important period that affects the performance of piglets. However, the regulation of dietary amino acid levels is considered to be an effective way to alleviate the weaning stress of piglets. N-carbamylglutamate (NCG) plays an important role in improving the growth performance and antioxidant capacity of animals. A total of 36 weaned piglets were randomly assigned to two treatment groups, a control group (CON) and a 500 mg/kg NCG group (NCG), and the experiment lasted for 28 days. The results show that the NCG treatment group showed an increased 0-28 days average weight gain and average daily feed intake, and also increased contents of GLU and HDL, and lower SUN in serum, and an upregulation of the expression of the amino acid transporters SNAT2, EAAC1, SLC3A1, and SLC3A2 mRNA in the jejunum (p < 0.05), as well as an increased villus length and VH:CD ratio, and claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1 mRNA expression in the jejunum (p < 0.05). The NCG treatment group showed an increased content of GSH-Px in serum and T-AOC and SOD in the jejunum, and a lower content of MDA (p < 0.05); and the upregulation of the mRNA expression related to antioxidant enzymes (CAT, SOD1, Gpx4, GCLC, GCLM and Nrf2, AhR, CYP1A1) in the jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05). In addition, compared with the control group, the NCG treatment group saw an upregulation in the mRNA expression of IL-10 and a decrease in the expression of IL-1β and IL-4 in the jejunal mucosa (p < 0.05). In summary, the results of this study suggest that NCG improved growth performance and jejunal morphology, improved the jejunal transport of amino acids related to the ornithine cycle, and improved the antioxidant capacity in weaned pigs.

Monoammonium glycyrrhizinate improves antioxidant capacity of calf intestinal epithelial cells exposed to heat stress in vitro

Dairy calves are highly susceptible to the negative effects of heat stress, which can cause organ hypoxia after blood redistribution, damage the intestinal barrier, and trigger intestinal oxidative stress. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidant effects of monoammonium glycyrrhizinate (MAG) on calf small intestinal epithelial cells under heat stress in vitro. Small intestinal epithelial cells were isolated from a 1-d-old healthy calf and purified by differential enzymatic detachment. The purified cells were divided into seven groups. The control group was cultured with DMEM/F-12 at 37 °C for 6 h, and the treatment groups were cultured with 0, 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 1, or 5 μg/mL MAG at 42 °C for 6 h. Heat stress causes oxidative damage to cells. Adding MAG to the medium can significantly improve cell activity and reduce cellular oxidative stress. MAG significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity caused by heat stress, and significantly decreased malondialdehyde and nitric oxide levels. The MAG treatment also reduced lactate dehydrogenase release, increased mitochondrial membrane potential, and decreased apoptosis under heat stress. MAG also upregulated the expression of the antioxidant-related genes, Nrf2 and GSTT1, in heat-stressed intestinal epithelial cells and significantly downregulated the expression of the heat shock response-related proteins, MAPK, HSP70, HSP90, and HSP27. From the above results, we conclude that 0.25 μg/mL MAG improves the capability of the antioxidant system in small intestinal epithelial cells to eliminate reactive oxygen species by activating antioxidant pathways, improving the oxidant/antioxidant balance, lowering excessive heat shock responses, and reducing intestinal oxidative stress.

Dietary Eucommia ulmoides Extract Alleviates the Effect of Cold Stress on Chick Growth Performance, Antioxidant and Immune Ability

Simple Summary

The cold stress that chicks suffer from has caused huge losses to the chicken industry. It is very important to find an effective way to alleviate cold stress in chicks. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that dietary Eucommia ulmoides extract alleviates the effect of cold stress on chick growth performance, antioxidants, and immune ability. Interestingly, Eucommia ulmoides extract supplementation improved the growth performance, antioxidant status, and immune response and reduced the organ damage of chicks caused by cold stress, which shows that Eucommia ulmoides extract has potent protective effects against cold stress. These findings will be very beneficial to break down the bottleneck issue of chick production caused by cold stress.

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the protective value of Eucommia ulmoides extract (EUE) on chicks under cold stress. A total of 21 compounds were identified in EUE using mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Ninety chicks were divided into a control group (CS) fed a basal diet and an experimental group supplemented with EUE, exposed to 10 ± 1 °C for 8 h per day. Results showed, compared with the CS group, the body weights (BW) (p < 0.01) and average daily gains ADG (p < 0.05) of the EUE group were increased throughout the study period. Chicks fed EUE had higher AFI (0–7 d, p < 0.001) and lower feed-to-gain ratios (F/G) (0–15 d, p < 0.001). EUE increased the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (15 d, p < 0.05) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (7 d, p < 0.05), whereas it decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) (15 d, p < 0.01). The contents of IgA (7 d, p < 0.05), IgG (7 d; 15 d, p < 0.01), and IgM (15 d, p < 0. 001) were higher in the EUE group. Dietary EUE could also reduce chick organ damage. Overall, EUE as a natural feed additive can improve the growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and immune level, and reduce the organ damage of cold-stressed chicks.