School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China.
J Anim Sci. 2012 Aug;90(8):2581-9. doi: 10.2527/jas.2012-4444.
The objective of this experiment was to investigate the influence of weaning stress and an antioxidant blend on gut health and free radical metabolism in postweaning pigs. A total of 96 pigs from 12 litters were randomly divided by litter to 3 groups with 4 litters each. The control group and the weaning group were fed the basal diet, and the antioxidant group was fed the basal diet supplemented with an antioxidant blend. The control group was suckling normally during the experimental period and the other 2 treatments were weaned at 21 d of age. Morphology in different parts of the intestines was used as a measure of intestinal barrier function. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), NO, H(2)O(2), and O(2) were measured in serum. Activities of the digestive enzymes, including sucrase, maltase, amylase, lipase, and pepsin, were measured at 24 d of age for all treatments. Gene expressions of free radicals, digestive enzymes, or antioxidant enzymes were selected for quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analyses. Results showed that weaning resulted in reductions (P < 0.05) in the villus height and width, and activity of digestive enzymes. Activity of SOD decreased (P < 0.05) and the concentrations of MDA, NO, and H(2)O(2) increased (P < 0.05) after weaning. The expression results indicated that the genes related to the antioxidant enzymes and digestive enzymes were down regulated (P < 0.05) after weaning. Tumor protein 53, which regulates reactive oxygen-species generation, tended to increase (P < 0.10) in the weaning group. The concentration of PPARγ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), which plays an important protective role against oxidative stress by regulating the expression of mitochondrial antioxidants, was reduced (P < 0.05) in weaning pigs and increased (P < 0.01) in antioxidant pigs compared with the control pigs. Results indicated that intestinal dysfunction occurred after weaning and there was an inhibition of the antioxidant system. The antioxidant blend has the potential to prevent free radical-induced damage and suppress oxidative stress by modulating the expressions of tumor protein 53 and PGC-1α genes.
本实验旨在研究断奶应激和抗氧化混合物对断奶后猪肠道健康和自由基代谢的影响。将 12 窝共 96 头仔猪随机分成 3 组，每组 4 窝。对照组和断奶组饲喂基础日粮，抗氧化组在基础日粮中添加抗氧化混合物。实验期间对照组仔猪正常哺乳，另外 2 个处理组在 21 日龄断奶。不同部位肠道形态学作为肠道屏障功能的衡量指标。血清中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶（GSH-Px）的活性以及丙二醛（MDA）、NO、H2O2和 O2的浓度均进行了测定。所有处理组在 24 日龄时还测定了蔗糖酶、麦芽糖酶、淀粉酶、脂肪酶和胃蛋白酶等消化酶的活性。选择自由基、消化酶或抗氧化酶的基因表达进行定量逆转录 PCR 分析。结果表明，断奶导致（P<0.05）绒毛高度和宽度以及消化酶活性降低。断奶后 SOD 活性下降（P<0.05），MDA、NO 和 H2O2 浓度升高（P<0.05）。基因表达结果表明，断奶后与抗氧化酶和消化酶相关的基因表达下调（P<0.05）。调节活性氧生成的肿瘤蛋白 53（TP53）在断奶组中呈上升趋势（P<0.10）。过氧化物酶体增殖物激活受体γ共激活因子 1α（PGC-1α）的浓度，通过调节线粒体抗氧化剂的表达对氧化应激起重要保护作用，断奶猪的 PGC-1α浓度降低（P<0.05），而抗氧化猪的 PGC-1α浓度升高（P<0.01），与对照组相比。结果表明，断奶后肠道功能障碍发生，抗氧化系统受到抑制。抗氧化混合物通过调节 TP53 和 PGC-1α 基因的表达，具有预防自由基诱导损伤和抑制氧化应激的潜力。
