Pectin supplement alleviates gut injury potentially through improving gut microbiota community in piglets

Abstract

As pectin is widely used as a food and feed additive due to its tremendous prebiotic potentials for gut health. Yet, the underlying mechanisms associated with its protective effect remain unclear. Twenty-four piglets (Yorkshire × Landrace, 6.77 ± 0.92 kg) were randomly divided into three groups with eight replicates per treatment: (1) Control group (CON), (2) Lipopolysaccharide-challenged group (LPS), (3) Pectin-LPS group (PECL). Piglets were administrated with LPS or saline on d14 and 21 of the experiment. Piglets in each group were fed with corn-soybean meal diets containing 5% citrus pectin or 5% microcrystalline cellulose. Our result showed that pectin alleviated the morphological damage features by restoring the goblet numbers which the pig induced by LPS in the cecum. Besides, compared with the LPS group, pectin supplementation elevated the mRNA expression of tight junction protein [Claudin-1, Claudin-4, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1)], mucin (Muc-2), and anti-inflammatory cytokines [interleukin 10 (IL-10), and IL-22]. Whereas pectin downregulated the expression of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-&alpha (TNF-α), and NF-κB. What is more, pectin supplementation also significantly increased the abundance of beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1, Blautia, and Subdoligranulum), and significantly reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria, such as Streptococcus. Additionally, pectin restored the amount of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) after being decreased by LPS (mainly Acetic acid, Propionic acid, and Butyric acid) to alleviate gut injury and improve gut immunity via activating relative receptors (GPR43, GPR109, AhR). Mantel test and correlation analysis also revealed associations between intestinal microbiota and intestinal morphology, and intestinal inflammation in piglets. Taken together, dietary pectin supplementation enhances the gut barrier and improves immunity to ameliorate LPS-induced injury by optimizing gut microbiota and their metabolites.

Clinical effects and safety of semi-solid feeds in tube-fed patients: a meta-analysis and systematic review

“…Critically ill patients are more likely to have gastric reflux when they are lying on their back, resulting in vomiting ( 33 ). Pectin can combine well with calcium ions in the nutrient solution without changing the composition of the nutrient solution to form semi-solid, which is similar to the chyme state in which food is ground in the stomach and reduces the occurrence of reflux ( 34 , 35 ). Reducing the incidence of vomiting is more in line with the physiological characteristics of human digestion and absorption.…”

Benefits of maternal pectin supplementation in gestation diet on vaginal microbiota of sows and intestinal health of newborn piglets

“…Although no differences were found in the jejunum, they gradually emerged from the ileum. The improvement of intestinal immune function of newborn piglets is thought to be mediated by microorganisms ( 56 , 57 ). A study showed a similar result of a maternal soluble fiber diet increasing the plasma concentrations of anti-inflammatory factors, IL-10, in the offspring, and both sows and piglets were found to have lower plasma TNF-α levels with soluble fiber intake ( 21 ).…”

Sugar-sweetened beverage but not diluted cloudy apple juice consumption induces post-prandial endotoxemia in healthy adults

“…It has been shown in animal models and in in vitro experiments that pectin derived from citrus plant and papaya may interact with pattern recognition receptors (PAMPs) and may thereby diminish their response to challenges with bacterial toxins 49 . Also, when consumed regularly at higher concentration, pectin may also affect intestinal barrier function [50][51][52] . Moreover, it has been suggested that pectin gel particles may bind bacterial endotoxin 53 .…”