Effect of Lactobacillus plantarum on diarrhea and intestinal barrier function of young piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K881

Abstract

The present study was performed to investigate the preventative effect of Lactobacillus plantarum on diarrhea in relation to intestinal barrier function in young piglets challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88. Seventy-two male piglets (4 d old) were assigned to 2 diets (antibiotic-free basal diet with or without L. plantarum, 5 × 10(10) cfu/kg diet) and subsequently challenged or not with ETEC K88 (1 × 10(8) cfu per pig) on d 15 in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Feed intake and BW were measured on d 15 and 18 (3 d after challenge) for determination of growth performance. On d 18, 1 piglet from each pen was slaughtered to evaluate small intestinal morphology and expression of tight junction proteins at the mRNA and protein levels while another piglet was used for the intestinal permeability test. Before and after ETEC K88 challenge, piglets fed L. plantarum had greater BW, ADG, and ADFI (P< 0.05) and marginally greater G:F (P < 0.10) compared to piglets fed the unsupplemented diet. After ETEC K88 challenge, the challenged piglets did not show an impaired growth performance but had greater incidence of diarrhea compared to the nonchallenged piglets. There was an interaction between dietary L. plantarum and ETEC K88 challenge (P < 0.05) as L. plantarum prevented the ETEC K88-induced diarrhea. Piglets challenged with ETEC K88 also had greater urinary lactulose:mannitol and plasma concentration of endotoxin, shorter villi, deeper crypt depth, and reduced villous height:crypt depth in the duodenum and jejunum and decreased zonula occludens-1 mRNA and occludin mRNA and protein expression in the jejunum (P < 0.05). These deleterious effects caused by ETEC K88 were inhibited by feeding L. plantarum (P < 0.05). There were no effects of either treatment on the morphology and expression of tight junction proteins in ileum. In conclusion, L. plantarum, given to piglets in early life, improved performance and effectively prevented the diarrhea in young piglets induced by ETEC K88 challenge by improving function of the intestinal barrier by protecting intestinal morphology and intestinal permeability and the expression of genes for tight junction proteins (zonula occludens-1 and occludin).

Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus and zinc oxide on the growth performance, jejunal morphology and immune function of weaned piglet following an Escherichia coli K88 challenge

“…In the present study, the results indicated that piglets fed 5 Â 10 10 CFU L. acidophilus or 3000 mg ZnO/kg feed had greater ADG, lower F:G than the unsupplemetend group. Consistently, previous studies have established improved ADFI and ADG of piglets fed Lactobacillus strains (Lee et al 2012;Yang et al 2014;Qiao et al 2015) or ZnO (Hill et al 2001). Thus, we can speculate that both LA and ZnO could improve the growth and might partly attenuate the effects of the stress of piglets during the post-weaning period.…”

“…Studies have shown that Lactobacillus strains (Lee et al 2012;Yang et al 2014) and ZnO (Hill et al 2001) were beneficial to growth performance and health status of weaning piglet. However, some studies indicated that L. brevis-supplementation feeding induced a nonsignificant increase in piglet body weight and caused no change in the morphology of the intestinal mucosa (L€ ahteinen et al 2014).…”

Alternatives to antibiotics in diets of weaned piglets

“…Segments of 2.0cm were sampled corresponding to duodenum (10cm from the pylorus), jejunum (the middle portion of the intestine) and the ileum (5cm from the ileo-caecal junction), according to YANG et al (2014). Samples were opened by the mesenteric border, extended by serous layer, washed in saline solution, fixed in Bouin solution for 24 hours, and sent to the Histology Laboratory of Veterinary Medicine Department of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa to prepare the slides.…”

Sodium Butyrate Attenuates Diarrhea in Weaned Piglets and Promotes Tight Junction Protein Expression in Colon in a GPR109A-Dependent Manner

“…The main symptoms are diarrhea, stunted growth, and high mortality. Diarrhea is a major challenge for neonatal and postweaning piglets, and results in a reduced growth rate, increased morbidity and mortality, and large economic losses in the global swine industry [1]. Nutritionists have devised a series of solutions such as adding antibiotics, probiotics, enzymes, and oligosaccharides to feed.…”