SummaryThis study aimed to investigate the effects of spermine and extended spermine administration on the antioxidant status and expression of NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signalling molecules in the thymus and spleen in suckling piglets. One half of eighty 12-day-old suckling piglets obtained sufficient nutrient intake supplemented with spermine (0.4 mmol/kg body weight), and another half received restricted nutrient intake supplemented with physiological saline in equal doses once a day for 7 hr or 3, 6 or 9 days in pairs. Spermine supplementation and its extended duration significantly decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) and protein carbonyl (PC) contents (p < .05), but markedly improved antisuperoxide anion (ASA), antihydroxyl radical (AHR), catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activities (p < .05) and glutathione (GSH) content (p < .05) in the thymus and spleen. Additionally, realtime PCR analysis showed that spermine administration and extended spermine intake reduced Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) gene transcription and enhanced SOD1, GPx1, CAT, glutathione reductase (GR) and Nrf2 mRNA levels of the thymus and spleen (p < .05), and also improved GST gene expression in the thymus (p < .05).Notably, the spermine-supplemented time for the optimal effects of suckling piglet was determined to be 6 days. Collectively, the current study suggested that spermine supplementation and extended spermine administration could protect the health of the thymus and spleen from early weaning by enhancing the antioxidant status and regulating the expression of antioxidant-related signalling molecules. K E Y W O R D Santioxidant status, signalling molecule, spermine, spleen, suckling piglet, thymus | INTRODUCTIONThe suckling period is known as a crucial phase of growth and development that mammals naturally experience. In commercial pig production, the suckling piglet is generally weaned early to obtain excellent economic profit. At this time, multiple biological stress responses are caused by early weaning, and weaning stress is highly prominent (Wang, Zeng, et al., 2016). Weaning stress can contribute to numerous biological processes, including enhanced disease susceptibility and metabolic disorders (Yin et al., 2013(Yin et al., , 2014, impaired intestinal histomorphology and functions Zhu, Zhao, Chen, & Xu, 2012), reduced feed intake and suppressedgrowth (Campbell, Crenshaw, & Polo, 2013). Furthermore, weaning stress also exerts affirmative effects on generating excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a normal amount of the body (Yin et al., 2014), which may further lead to oxidative stress and changes in many antioxidant enzymes in the antioxidant defence systems, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase (Han, Shuvaev, & Muzykantov, 2011). Suitable therapies and nutritional support (e.g., L-arginine, N-carbamylglutamate and putrescine) can provide beneficial effects...
Previous studies showed that spermine could protect the organism from oxidative damage in vivo. However, in vivo information on the antioxidant-related underlying molecular mechanism of spermine is limited. In this experiment, we further evaluated the effects of spermine supplementation and extended spermine administration on the antioxidant status and antioxidant-related signaling molecules gene expression in the liver and longissimus dorsi of piglets. A total of 80 piglets were randomly distributed to two groups, that is, those with adequate nutrient intake administrated with spermine (0.4 mmol/kg BW) or those with restricted nutrient intake supplemented by saline. The piglets were fed in pairs for 7 h or 3, 6, or 9 days. The results are as follows: (1) spermine can promote the antioxidant capacity by increasing enzymatic antioxidant capacity, glutathione content and clearance of oxygen radicals; (2) spermine significantly increased the mRNA levels of enzymatic antioxidant substances, NF-E2-related nuclear factor 2, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1, and the mammalian target of rapamycin but decreased the mRNA levels of ribosomal p70 S6 kinase in the liver and longissimus dorsi of the piglets.
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary rapeseed meal (RSM) inclusion levels on growth performance, organ health and standardized ileal amino acid digestibility (SIAAD) in meat ducks from 15 to 35 days of age. Six hundred and eighty 15-days-old ducks were randomly allotted to five treatments based on body weight. Five isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were formulated on a digestible amino acid basis by replacing 0% (the control), 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% (based on fresh) of protein from soya bean meal (SBM) with protein from RSM. The corresponding levels of RSM in experimental diets were 0%, 6.66%, 13.32%, 19.98% and 26.64% respectively. With increasing dietary RSM levels, body weight (BW) and average daily gain (ADG) linearly decreased (p < 0.001), whereas feed-to-gain ratio (F: G) linearly increased (p = 0.0078). Ducks fed the diets with 13.32% or more RSM had significantly lower (p < 0.05) BW, ADG and ADFI, or higher F: G than ducks fed the control diet. The maximum limit of dietary RSM supplementation was estimated to range from 4.27% to maximize ADG for 15 to 35 days to 11.69% to maintain feed intake for 15 to 35 days on the basis of a broken-line model. At day35, the 4th primary wing feather length and SIAAD (except for Met, Thr and Val) linearly decreased (p < 0.001), and the thyroid glands weight (% of BW) linearly increased (p < 0.05) with increasing dietary RSM levels. Ducks fed the RSM inclusion diets had significantly lower (p < 0.0001) serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) activities than ducks fed the control diet. These results suggested that the maximum limit of dietary RSM containing 7.57 μmol/g glucosinolates was estimated to be 4.27% to avoid growth reduction.
To explore the effects of maternal nutrition on offspring muscle characteristics, a total of 56 sows were assigned to one of the four dietary groups during gestation: control (CON), or control diets supplemented with methyl donor (MET), bisphenol A (BPA), and combined BPA and MET (BPA+MET). Compared with CON offspring, MET offspring showed a higher meat redness value, but lower glycogen content in the longissimus thoracis (LT). Moreover, compared with CON offspring, MET offspring showed lower LT glycogen synthase (GS) mRNA levels at birth and the finishing stage, and increased methylation at the GS promoter. Prenatal BPA exposure reduced the pH and redness value of meat, but increased the lightness value, lactate content, glycolytic potential and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme activity in the LT muscle. Prenatal BPA exposure increased LDH mRNA levels in the LT muscle at birth and the finishing stage, and reduced methylation at the LDH promoter. Thus, maternal MET affects muscle GS and LDH expression via DNA methylation, thereby resulting in persistent effects on pork quality.
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