Citric Acid Promoting B Lymphocyte Differentiation and Anti-epithelial Cells Apoptosis Mediate the Protective Effects of Feed in ETEC Induced Piglets Diarrhea.

Newborn piglets are prone to diarrhea after weaning as a result of changes in their environment and feed. Enterotoxigenic (ETEC) K88 strain is a typical pathogen that causes diarrhea in such stage of piglets. larvae are widely used in livestock and poultry production because of their high nutritional value and immunoregulatory effects. This study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of feed in protecting against ETEC induced diarrhea in piglets and to unravel the mechanisms of immune modulation and intestinal barrier maintenance. The results showed that after ETEC infection, citric acid in the serum of the groups fed on larvae increased significantly, which stimulated macrophages to secrete cytokines that promote B lymphocyte differentiation, ultimately increasing the production of IgA and IgG in serum. Concomitantly, citric acid also had a positive effect on the intestinal barrier damaged due to ETEC infection by inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines, reducing the Bcl-2/Bax ratio, and promoting the expression of tight junction proteins. Correlation analysis showed that the increase of citric acid levels might be related to . Thus, citric acid derived from larvae can improve the immune performance of weaned piglets and reduce ETEC-induced damage to the intestinal barrier in weaned piglets.