This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of bile acids (BAs) on the growth performance and lipid metabolism of broilers fed with different energy level diets. 480 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers (45.01 ± 0.26 g) were allotted to a 2 × 2 factorial design with 2 levels of energy (basal or high-energy level) and 2 levels of BAs (with or without BAs supplementation), resulting in 4 groups of 8 replicates; the experiment lasted 42 d. High-energy diets decreased the feed/gain ratio (F/G) from 1 to 21 d (P < 0.05), and increased the liver index and abdominal fat percentage at 42 d (P < 0.05). The serum total triglyceride (TG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol at 42 d were increased by high-energy diets (P < 0.05), while the hepatic lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity at 21 and 42 d was decreased (P < 0.05). BAs supplementation increased the body weight at 21 d and decreased the F/G during entire period (P < 0.05), as well as improved the carcass quality reflected by decreased abdominal fat percentage at 42 d and increased breast muscle percentage at 21 and 42 d (P < 0.05). The serum TG at 21 and 42 d were decreased by BAs (P < 0.05), and the hepatic LPL activity at 42 d was increased (P < 0.05). In addition, high-energy diets increased the expression of sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, and fatty acid synthase (P < 0.05), while BAs diets decreased these genes expression (P < 0.05). Moreover, BAs supplementation also increased the expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 (P < 0.05), which was increased in high-energy groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, BAs supplementation could increase growth performance, elevate carcass quality, and improve lipid metabolism in broilers.

Curcumin, a naturally occurring antioxidant, has various beneficial effects in the treatment of human diseases. However, little information regarding the protection it provides against acute liver injury is available. The present study investigated the protective effects of curcumin against D-galactosamine (D-GalN)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute liver injury in mice. A total of 40 male Kunming mice were randomly assigned to 5 groups: 1) mice administered saline vehicle injection (control), 2) mice administered 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) curcumin by i.p. injection (CUR), 3) mice administered D-GalN/LPS (700 mg and 5 μg/kg BW) via i.p. injection (GL), 4) mice administered 200 mg/kg BW curcumin i.p. 1 h before D-GalN/LPS injection (CUR-GL), and 5) mice administered 200 mg/kg BW curcumin i.p. 1 h after D-GalN/LPS injection (GL-CUR). Twenty h after D-GalN/LPS injection, serum alanine aminotransferase activities were 18.5% and 13.5% lower (P < 0.05) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activities were 26.6% and 9.6% lower (P < 0.05) in the CUR-GL and GL-CUR groups, respectively, than in the GL group. The CUR-GL and GL-CUR groups had 64.4% and 15.0% higher (P < 0.05) mitochondrial membrane potentials, respectively, and the CUR-GL group had a 44.7% lower reactive oxygen species concentration than the GL group (P < 0.05). Mitochondrial manganese superoxide dismutase activities were 111% and 77.9% higher (P < 0.05) and the percentages of necrotic cells were 47.0% and 32.4% lower (P < 0.05) in the CUR-GL and GL-CUR groups, respectively, than in the GL group. Liver mRNA levels of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1) were 56.4% lower (P < 0.05) in the CUR-GL group than in the GL group. Moreover, compared with the GL-CUR group, the CUR-GL group had an 18.7% lower serum AST activity, a 31.7% lower mitochondrial malondialdehyde concentration, a 36.0% lower hepatic reactive oxygen species concentration, and a 43.0% higher mitochondrial membrane potential. These results suggested that curcumin protects against D-GalN/LPS-induced liver damage by the enhancing antioxidant defense system, attenuating mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibiting apoptosis. This was especially true for curcumin pretreatment, which highlighted its promise as a preventive treatment for acute liver injury in clinical settings.

Methionine may have beneficial effects in improving intestinal integrity and oxidative status in IUGR weanling piglets.

RSV may have beneficial effects in improving hepatic mitochondrial function and redox status in the IUGR piglets.

The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (nano-ZnOs) as a substitute for colistin sulfate (CS) and/or zinc oxide (ZnO) on growth performance, serum enzymes, zinc deposition, intestinal morphology and epithelial barrier in weaned piglets. A total of 216 crossbred Duroc×(Landrace×Yorkshire) piglets weaned at 23 days were randomly assigned into 3 groups, which were fed with basal diets supplemented with 20 mg/kg CS (CS group), 20mg/kg CS+3000 mg/kg ZnO (CS+ZnO group), and 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (nano-ZnO group) for 14 days. Results indicated that compared to CS group, supplementation of 1200 mg/kg nano-ZnOs (about 30 nm) significantly increased final body weight and average daily gain, and 3000 mg/kg ZnO plus colistin sulfate significantly increased average daily gain and decreased diarrhea rate in weaned piglets. There was no significant difference in growth performance and diarrhea rate between nano-ZnO and CS+ZnO groups. Supplementation of nano-ZnOs did not affect serum enzymes (glutamic oxalacetic transaminase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and lactate dehydrogenase), but significantly increased plasma and tissue zinc concentrations (liver, tibia), improved intestinal morphology (increased duodenal and ileal villus length, crypt depth, and villus surface), enhanced mRNA expression of ZO-1 in ileal mucosa, and significantly decreased diamine oxidase activity in plasma, total aerobic bacterial population in MLN as compared to CS group. Effects of nano-ZnOs on serum enzymes, intestinal morphology, and mRNA expressions of tight junction were similar to those of high dietary ZnO plus colistin sulfate, while nano-ZnOs significantly reduced zinc concentrations of liver, tibia, and feces, and decreased total aerobic bacterial population in MLN as compared to CS+ZnO group. These results suggested that nano-ZnOs (1200 mg/kg) might be used as a substitute for colistin sulfate and high dietary ZnO in weaned piglets.