Ng'ang'a Zacharia Waithaka, Tous Nuria, Ballester Maria, Leskovec Jakob, Jimenez-Moya Beatriz, Beltrán-Debón Raúl, Torrallardona David, Tarradas Joan
IRTA, Animal Nutrition, Mas Bové, Constantí, Catalonia, Spain.
MoBioFood Research Group, Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, Tarragona, Spain.
Front Vet Sci. 2025 Sep 1;12:1645900. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1645900. eCollection 2025.
Zinc oxide (ZnO) has been used at pharmacological levels to promote gut health and growth performance in the critical postweaning (PW) phase of piglets. The pharmacological use of ZnO in piglet diets has been banned in Europe and other countries due to antimicrobial resistance and environmental concerns. Therefore, understanding its mode of action, including its molecular mechanisms, is crucial for developing effective and sustainable alternatives. We investigated the mechanisms by which dietary supplementation with 3,000 mg/kg ZnO supports gut health and improves growth performance of piglets during the first 14 days PW. During the 2 weeks of trial (0-14 d PW), ZnO fed piglets had higher average daily gain (165 vs. 123 g/d; < 0.01), and tended to have increased average daily feed intake (204 vs. 181 g/d; < 0.1) and improved gain-to-feed ratio (0.669 vs. 0.774; < 0.05) compared to control piglets. Feces from piglets in the ZnO group were also more consistent during the 2 weeks of trial ( < 0.01). At day 14 PW, ZnO piglets had lower calprotectin concentrations in serum ( < 0.01). Dietary ZnO downregulated several genes, involved in immune, oxidative and inflammatory responses, in jejunal (, , , and ) and ileal (, , , and ) mucosa ( < 0.05). It also downregulated the expression of the zinc transporter , that is associated with zinc homeostasis, in both tissues. Notably, which promotes energy production and lipid metabolism through fatty acid oxidation, was upregulated by ZnO in ileum. In conclusion, the current results suggest that high dietary levels of ZnO reduce the expression of inflammatory cytokines, the oxidative enzyme , pathogen recognition proteins, and zinc transporters while promoting the expression of gene related with energy metabolism in the intestine. Therefore, ZnO can facilitate a smoother weaning transition to reduce weaning related gut health disturbances, ultimately contributing to gut homeostasis and improved performance.
氧化锌（ZnO）已被用于药理学水平，以促进仔猪断奶后关键阶段的肠道健康和生长性能。由于抗微生物药物耐药性和环境问题，欧洲和其他国家已禁止在仔猪日粮中使用药理学剂量的ZnO。因此，了解其作用方式，包括分子机制，对于开发有效且可持续的替代品至关重要。我们研究了在断奶后第1天至第14天期间，日粮中添加3000mg/kg ZnO支持仔猪肠道健康和改善生长性能的机制。在为期2周的试验（断奶后0 - 14天）中，与对照仔猪相比，饲喂ZnO的仔猪平均日增重更高（165对123g/天；P<0.01），平均日采食量有增加的趋势（204对181g/天；P<0.1），且料重比有所改善（0.669对0.774；P<0.05）。在为期2周的试验期间，ZnO组仔猪的粪便也更均匀（P<0.01）。在断奶后第14天，ZnO组仔猪血清中的钙卫蛋白浓度较低（P<0.01）。日粮ZnO下调了空肠（IL1β、IL6、TNFα和IL8）和回肠（IL1β、IL6、TNFα和IL8）黏膜中参与免疫、氧化和炎症反应的几个基因（P<0.05）。它还下调了两个组织中与锌稳态相关的锌转运体SLC39A1的表达。值得注意的是，通过脂肪酸氧化促进能量产生和脂质代谢的ACADL在回肠中被ZnO上调。总之，目前的结果表明，高日粮水平的ZnO降低了炎性细胞因子、氧化酶NOX1、病原体识别蛋白和锌转运体的表达，同时促进了肠道中与能量代谢相关的ACADL基因的表达。因此，ZnO可以促进更平稳的断奶过渡，以减少与断奶相关的肠道健康紊乱，最终有助于肠道稳态和性能改善。
