Host-Microbe Interactomics Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Adaptation Physiology Group, Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 18;11(1):4213. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-83756-2.
Early-life gut microbial colonisation is known to influence host physiology and development, shaping its phenotype. The developing gastro-intestinal tract of neonatal piglets provides a "window of opportunity" for programming their intestinal microbiota composition and corresponding intestinal development. Here, we investigated the impact of early feeding on jejunum and colon microbiota composition, and intestinal maturation in suckling piglets. From two days of age, early-fed (EF; n = 6 litters) piglets had access to solid feed containing a mixture of fibres till weaning (day29) in addition to sow's milk, whereas the control (CON; n = 6 litters) piglets exclusively fed on sow's milk. Early feeding elicited a significant impact on the colon microbiota, whereas no such effect was seen in the jejunal and ileal microbiota. Quantified eating behavioural scores could significantly explain the variation in microbiota composition of EF piglets and support their classification into good, moderate, and bad eaters. Members of the Lachnospiraceae family, and the genera Eubacterium, Prevotella, and Ruminococcus were quantitatively associated with eating scores. EF piglets were found to have a decreased pH in caecum and colon, which coincided with increased short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations. Moreover, they also had increased weights and lengths of several intestinal tract segments, as well as a decreased villus-crypt ratio in jejunal mucosa and an increased abundance of proliferative cells in colon mucosa. The approaches in this study indicate that early feeding of a mixed-fibre (pre-weaning) diet changes the microbiota composition, pH, and fermentation products in the distal gut of piglets, while it also alters both macroscopic and microscopic intestinal measurements. These results exemplify the potential of early feeding to modulate intestinal development in young piglets.
早期肠道微生物定植被认为会影响宿主的生理和发育，从而塑造其表型。新生仔猪的发育胃肠道为编程其肠道微生物群落组成和相应的肠道发育提供了一个“机会窗口”。在这里，我们研究了早期喂养对哺乳仔猪空肠和结肠微生物群落组成和肠道成熟的影响。从出生后的第二天起，早期喂养（EF；n = 6 窝）仔猪除了母猪的奶之外，还可以接触到含有纤维混合物的固体饲料，直到 29 日断奶，而对照组（CON；n = 6 窝）仔猪仅以母猪的奶为食。早期喂养对结肠微生物群有显著影响，而对空肠和回肠微生物群则没有这种影响。定量的进食行为评分可以显著解释 EF 仔猪微生物群落组成的变化，并支持将它们分为好、中、差采食者进行分类。厚壁菌门和拟杆菌门的成员，以及真杆菌属、普雷沃氏菌属和瘤胃球菌属与进食评分呈定量相关。EF 仔猪的盲肠和结肠 pH 值降低，与短链脂肪酸（SCFA）浓度增加相吻合。此外，它们的几个肠道段的重量和长度增加，空肠黏膜的绒毛-隐窝比降低，结肠黏膜的增殖细胞丰度增加。本研究中的方法表明，在仔猪断奶前用混合纤维（预）饲料进行早期喂养会改变远端肠道的微生物群落组成、pH 值和发酵产物，同时也会改变宏观和微观肠道测量。这些结果说明了早期喂养在调节仔猪肠道发育方面的潜力。
