The effects of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on weanling piglets after mixing stress were investigated and the underlying molecular mechanism was analyzed. Sixty weaning piglets were randomly assigned to either the control group (weaning and mixing with a 3 : 3 sex ratio) or the GABA supplement group (30 mg GABA/kg body weight/day + weaning and mixing with a 3 : 3 sex ratio). Aggressive behaviours have been recorded for 2 days and the number of lesions for 3 days. The diarrhea rate on day 6 post-weaning and mixing was analyzed. Serum biochemical indicators, antioxidant variables, jejunum villus morphology and mRNA levels of stress-related neuropeptide genes of the hippocampus were investigated. The GABA addition decreased serum adrenocorticotropic hormone concentrations (P < 0.05), aggressive behaviours of weaned piglets 5 h after mixing (P < 0.05), lesion scores over the entire 3-day period (P < 0.01) and diarrhea rate (P < 0.01) and improved jejunum villus integrity. Serum neuropeptide Y (NPY) concentration (P < 0.05) and total superoxide dismutase activity (P < 0.01) were increased in the GABA supplement group, whereas serum malondialdehyde concentration had a decreasing tendency (0.05 < P < 0.1), and glutathione peroxidase activity had an increasing tendency (0.05 < P < 0.1). The GABA treatment group had increased mRNA levels of NPY (P < 0.05) and peptide YY (PYY) (P < 0.05) in the hippocampus, which may contribute to insights into the regulatory mechanism of GABA in weaning and mixing stress. The addition of GABA is beneficial to reduce weaning and mixing stress in piglets, and NPY and PYY may mediate the process.
To give some insights into the genetic functions of Rheb signaling pathway in Rongchang piglets, this study reported the identification of complete coding sequence of the Rheb gene in Rongchang piglets and indicated that the complete coding region sequence is 555bp in length and encodes 184 amino acids, containing nearly all the conserved protein domains in the Rheb protein family. The deduced amino acid sequence identity between the Rongchang pig and sheep, cattle, or goat is 100%, 99% and 98%, respectively. Spatial transcriptional profile analysis indicated that the Rheb gene is expressed at remarkably high levels in both salivary gland and brain, especially in hypothalamus and ventral hippocampus (VH) regions of brain. Developmental expression profile analysis revealed the expression pattern is different between brain sub-regions and salivary gland of these two breeds of piglets, with the similar expression pattern despite various mRNA levels between Rongchang and Large White piglets.
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