Zhang Huimin, Yan Shuo, Ma Zimeng, Du Ruilin, Li Xihe, Bao Siqin, Song Yongli
Research Center for Animal Genetic Resources of Mongolia Plateau, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010020, China.
The State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010020, China.
Biomolecules. 2025 May 12;15(5):707. doi: 10.3390/biom15050707.
At the present stage, heavy metal pollution, led by environmental exposure to cadmium (Cd), has caused incalculable losses in animal husbandry. The potential value of caprylic acid as a medium- and long-chain fatty acid with a unique role in regulating lipid metabolism has attracted much attention. Our previous study found that octanoic acid levels were significantly reduced under Cd-exposed conditions in Hu Sheep, on the basis of which we investigated the protective effect of sodium octanoate, a derivative of octanoic acid, against Cd exposure in Hu Sheep in the present study. In this study, an animal model of Cd exposure in Hu Sheep was established. Comprehensive assessment of Cd-induced intestinal injury using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, immunostaining and carried out in-depth analyses combined with lipid metabolomics and transcriptomics. The results showed that Cd exposure triggered intestinal inflammation, barrier function damage and oxidative stress imbalance. Lipid metabolomics analysis showed that Cd exposure severely disrupted lipid metabolic processes, especially the glycerophospholipid metabolic pathway, suggesting that lipid metabolic disorders are closely related to intestinal injury. Notably, sodium octanoate could partially reverse the lipid metabolism abnormality by regulating the Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, effectively alleviating the Cd toxicity, which provides a brand-new prevention and control strategy for Cd-induced intestinal injury in the livestock industry pollution-mediated disease.
现阶段，以环境镉（Cd）暴露为首的重金属污染给畜牧业造成了难以估量的损失。辛酸作为一种在调节脂质代谢中具有独特作用的中长链脂肪酸，其潜在价值备受关注。我们之前的研究发现，在镉暴露条件下，湖羊体内辛酸水平显著降低，在此基础上，本研究探讨了辛酸衍生物辛酸钠对湖羊镉暴露的保护作用。本研究建立了湖羊镉暴露动物模型。利用苏木精-伊红（H&E）染色、免疫染色对镉诱导的肠道损伤进行综合评估，并结合脂质代谢组学和转录组学进行深入分析。结果表明，镉暴露引发肠道炎症、屏障功能损伤和氧化应激失衡。脂质代谢组学分析表明，镉暴露严重扰乱脂质代谢过程，尤其是甘油磷脂代谢途径，提示脂质代谢紊乱与肠道损伤密切相关。值得注意的是，辛酸钠可通过调节腺苷酸活化蛋白激酶（AMPK）信号通路部分逆转脂质代谢异常，有效减轻镉毒性，为畜牧业污染介导疾病中镉诱导的肠道损伤提供了全新的防控策略。
