Diet supplemented either with dried chicory root or chicory inulin significantly influence kidney and liver mineral content and antioxidative capacity in growing pigs

According to the Regulation No. 1831/2003 of the European Parliament and European Union Council, the use of antibiotics as a dietary supplements has been prohibited. It seems that the administration of prebiotics, instead of antibiotics, into the pig's diet, may regulate the intestinal microbiota and has a long-term health-related impact on the host. Inulin-type fructans can stimulate mineral absorption from the gut. Additionally, it may regulate energy metabolism and activate enzymatic mechanisms preventing oxidative stress. The goal of the present study was to estimate the influence of dietary supplementation with dried chicory root or native chicory inulin on 1) liver histology; 2) liver and kidney lipid metabolism indices, activity of selected enzymes, concentration of macro- and micronutrients and heavy metals; 3) blood plasma, liver and kidney oxidative stress biomarkers and 4) blood plasma water-electrolyte homeostasis indices in growing pigs. The nutritional study was conducted on 24 piglets assigned to 3 dietary groups (n = 8): control (C) fed a basal diet and two experimental groups receiving basal diet supplemented with 2% of inulin (IN) either 4% of dried chicory root (CR). The animals were fed with a group-specific diets for 40 days and then subjected to euthanasia. Subsequently, blood, liver and kidney samples were harvested for further processing. In the control and experimental groups, no apparent morphological abnormalities in the liver tissues were seen. The percent of periodic acid Schiff positive glycogen liver cells was significantly lower in the CR group as compared to C and IN groups (P < 0.001). Chicory root supplementation improved blood plasma prooxidative-antioxidative balance - PAB (P < 0.001) and liver PAB (P < 0.01) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances - thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (P < 0.05). Feeding the CR diet increased calcium (P < 0.001) and potassium (P < 0.05) and decreased cadmium (P ≥ 0.05) content in the liver when compared to the C group. Administration of the CR and IN diets increased selenium (Se) and sodium concentrations, whereas decreased zinc content both in the liver (P < 0.01; P < 0.05 and P < 0.05, respectively) and in the kidney (P < 0.01; P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively) of pigs. Additionally, a higher concentration of lead (P < 0.05) was observed in the kidney of pigs fed the CR diet. In conclusion, both dietary supplements had a potential to significantly improve the Se status and oxidoreductive homeostasis in growing pigs.

Effect of dietary inclusion of 1% or 3% of native chicory inulin on the large intestinal mucosa proteome of growing pigs

Native chicory inulin is one of the promising alternatives to replace antibiotic growth promoters in young animals. Several potential mechanisms of prebiotic action have been proposed, such as modification of the intestinal microbiota composition leading to improved epithelial integrity and gut mucosal immunity of the host. The current study was focused on inulin effect on the large intestinal proteome and its implications for gut barrier functions. Therefore, we used proteomic techniques to determine changes in the large intestinal mucosa proteome of growing pigs after 40-day supplementation with native chicory inulin. The experiment was performed on 24 piglets fed from the 10th day of life an unsupplemented cereal-based diet or inulin-enriched diets (1% or 3%) with an average degree of polymerisation ≥ 10. At the age of 50 days, animals were sacrificed and tissue samples were collected from the cecum, and proximal and distal colon. Feeding diets supplemented with both levels of native inulin increased cecal and colonic expression of molecular chaperones, protein foldases and antioxidant proteins, which are collectively responsible for maintaining mucosal cell integrity as well as protecting against endotoxins and reactive oxygen species. This may confirm the beneficial effect of inulin on the gut health in growing pigs.

Dietary chicory root and chicory inulin trigger changes in energetic metabolism, stress prevention and cytoskeletal proteins in the liver of growing pigs - a proteomic study

Currently, a wide array of plant preparations exerting health-promoting properties are commonly used as feed additives. Among them, Cichorium intybus L. have gained considerable attention as a source of compounds showing prebiotic character. Large body of evidence suggests that products of prebiotic fermentation (short-chain fatty acids) may influence the expression of genes encoding liver enzymes involved in the regulation of energetic metabolism. Given the above, the present study was aimed at estimating the influence of a diet supplemented with chicory root or water extract of chicory inulin on liver proteome in growing pigs. The study was performed on 24 castrated male piglets (PIC × Penarlan P76). Animals were assigned to three equal groups (n = 8) and fed cereal-based isoenergetic diets: control and supplemented with 2% of inulin extract from chicory root or 4% of dried chicory root. Liver proteins were separated using two-dimensional electrophoresis, followed by the identification of statistically valid protein spots with the aid of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Both experimental factors significantly modulated the expression of liver proteins associated with energetic metabolism, particularly those involved in cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism. Additionally, both dietary additives induced increased expression of proteins involved in hepatocyte protection against oxidative stress. In the present study, we have shown for the first time that diet supplementation with dried chicory root or inulin caused significant changes in the expression of liver cytoskeletal proteins. Close attention should be paid to the downregulation of cytokeratin 18, hepatic acute phase protein that can enhance the anti-inflammatory properties of inulin-type fructans.

Differentially expressed proteins in the blood serum of piglets in response to a diet supplemented with inulin

In the present study we introduced a two-dimensional electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time of flight mass spectrometry-based proteomic workflow to identify proteins that show altered expression as a result of the addition of 2% of water extract of inulin-type fructans to the diet of growing piglets. This analysis allowed us to detect an average of 240 spots per gel with a mass range from 10 to 250 kDa and a pH ranging from 3 to 10. Twenty protein spots were found to show statistically significant differences in their expression. Of these, 7 protein spots were up-regulated, whereas 13 showed down-regulation in response to the experimental diet. In total, 13 spots were identified, representing 8 distinct gene products. The experimental diet caused a significant change in proteins directly or indirectly involved in hemostasis and the innate immune response. Increased levels of fibrinogen along with decreased plasminogen expression may indicate that a fructan-rich diet favours the deposits of fibrin and promotes blood clotting. We also found increased expression of vitronectin and the alpha subunit of the complement component C8 which may protect the host organism against excessive cytolitic activity of the activated complement. The piglets from the experimental group had slightly increased values of IgG and IgA, whereas the IgM level tended to be decreased. The fructan-rich diet did not have any influence on plasma total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

Feeding milk replacer instead of whole milk affects blood plasma proteome and lipid profile in preruminant calves

The study was undertaken to determine the effect of feeding milk or milk-replacer on the blood plasma proteome and lipid profile in calves during the second week of life. Feeding milk-replacer significantly decreased the expression of plasma apoA-I. Age of calves affected apoA-I expression, which was higher on the 8th than on the 11th and 14th day of life. A significant effect of interaction between diet and age was also observed. The expression of apoA-IV, was significantly affected by diet and was lower in calves fed milk replacer. Expression of this protein was significantly lower at the 8th day of life and was up-regulated in the calves fed milk-replacer at the second week of life. Calves fed milk-replacer had greater expression of haptoglobin, which differed significantly between days of blood sampling, being higher on the 8th than on the 11th and 14th day. The interactive effect of diet and age affected haptoglobin expression, which was successively down-regulated in calves fed milk re- placer. Diet had a significant effect on the plasma lipid profile. Animals fed milk had a greater concentration of TC, HDLC and LDLC. The composition of milk-replacer, especially fat source, is probably the main factor that affects expression of proteins involved in cholesterol metabolism and level of components of lipid profile in calves fed formula. We claim that the initially increased level of haptoglobin, followed by its decrease during the second week of life in calves fed milk-replacer may indicate the presence of short-term stress induced by changes in the feeding system.

Immunohistochemical identification of aquaporin 2 in the kidneys of young beef cattle

Aquaporin 2 (AQP2) is a small, integral tetrameric plasma membrane protein that is expressed in mammalian kidneys. The specific constitution of this protein and its selective permeability to water means that AQP2 plays an important role in hypertonic urine production. Immunolocalization of AQP2 has been studied in humans, monkeys, sheep, dogs, rabbits, rats, mice and adult cattle. We analyzed the expression of AQP2 in kidneys of 7-month-old Polish-Friesian var. black and white male calves. AQP2 was localized in the principal cells of collecting ducts in medullary rays penetrating the renal cortex and in the collecting ducts of renal medulla. AQP2 was expressed most strongly in the apical plasma membrane, but expression was observed also in the intracellular vesicles and basolateral plasma membrane. Our study provides new information concerning the immunolocalization of AQP2 in calf kidneys.

Dynamics of changes in iron concentration and total iron binding capacity in blood plasma of goat kids during their first month of life (Short Communication)

Abstract. The experiment was carried out on 14 kids of Polish Improved White breed during the first 30 days of life. The aim of this study was to show changes in the concentration of blood plasma iron and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) during the neonatal period. The statistically confirmed differences (P≥0.01) in blood serum iron concentration was show in the kids between 5th (20.57 μmol/l) and 14th (9.97 μmol/l) day of life, and between 3rd and 4th week with the peak in 23rd day (27.50 μmol/l). We have also shown statisticly confirmed increase in TIBC (P≥0.01) between 1st and 4th day of life (+20.13 μmol/l), and between 14th and 23rd day of life (+15.59 μmol/l). Statistically confirmed decrease of TIBC was observed between 6th (52.30 μmol/l) and 14th (31.78 μmol/l) day of life. Conclusion: The studies have revealed dynamic changes in the concentration and total binding capacity of blood plasma iron concentration during the first month of postnatal life. The pattern of such changes does not depend on the gender or litter size. It was observed a significant decrease in the concentration of this trace element in blood plasma toward the end of the second week, which may indicate a relative iron deficiency, particularly in twin-born kids.