Birth oxidative stress and the development of an antioxidant system in newborn piglets

Abstract

Birth oxidative stress is an oxidative response to a sudden transition process from maternal mediated respiration in uterus to autonomous pulmonary respiration outside the uterus. Meanwhile, oxidative stress has been demonstrated to be associated with various pathologies recorded in newborns. So, this research aimed to study the oxidative stress and the development of antioxidant system in newborn piglets. The measured variables include plasma lipid, protein and DNA oxidant injury, the activities of plasma antioxidant enzymes and the jejunal and ileal antioxidant gene expressions at 1, 7, 14, and 21 days after birth. Meanwhile, the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), transcription factor p65, and tumor protein 53 (p53) were determined by western blot. The results showed that newborn piglets suffered seriously from birth oxidative stress because of the naive antioxidant system. In addition, oxidant injury activated Nrf2 signaling pathway, resulting in the expression of antioxidant genes and release of antioxidant enzymes. With the development of antioxidant system, the oxidative balance gradually recovered on Day 7 after birth. In conclusion, birth caused oxidative stress and the oxidative balance gradually recovered with the development of antioxidant system.

Dietary Zinc Oxide Modulates Antioxidant Capacity, Small Intestine Development, and Jejunal Gene Expression in Weaned Piglets

“…Previous studies have shown that both birth and early weaning would cause declines in activities or expression of intestinal antioxidant enzymes and lead to oxidative injury in piglets [36][37][38]. High doses of ZnO supplementation, however, improved the small intestinal redox state in weaned piglets by increasing the ratio of reduced glutathione (GSH) to oxidized glutathione (GSSG) and prevented apoptosis in the small intestine [39], and affecting glutathione homeostasis [40], thus alleviating intestinal dysfunction and malabsorption and malabsorption of nutrients.…”

“…Additionally, MDA, generated from polyunsaturated lipids by ROS, is an important index for lipid peroxidation and oxidative damage [41]. Yin et al (2013) has found that the plasma MDA was increased, while at the meantime, plasma activities of GSH-Px and SOD were decreased in piglets at the first day after weaning [36]. In the present study, we demonstrated that the plasma MDA concentrations were reduced, while T-SOD activities were increased by high doses of ZnO, even though the GSH-Px activities in the plasma were not affected by high doses of ZnO.…”

Effects of yeast products on the intestinal morphology, barrier function, cytokine expression, and antioxidant system of weaned piglets

“…Serum D-lactate content was measured using a commercial kit (Beijing Leadman Biochemistry Co., Beijing, China) and a Beckman CX4 Chemistry Analyzer (Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA). The serum antioxidation index and DAO activity were determined using corresponding reagent kits (Jiancheng Bioengineering Institute, Nanjing, China) according to the protocol described by Yin et al (2013).…”

Transient effects of weaning on the health of newly weaning piglets

“…Weaning is one of the most stressful events in the life of pigs, which affects animal health and growth performance, especially during the first week post-weaning (Campell et al 2013;Pluske 2013;Yin et al 2013). Even though advances in nutrition, animal handling, and breeding technology have greatly reduced weaning stress, it is impossible to completely eliminate the adverse physiological doi: 10.17221/8731-CJAS Research Council (2012) effects.…”