The High Level of Xylooligosaccharides Improves Growth Performance in Weaned Piglets by Increasing Antioxidant Activity, Enhancing Immune Function, and Modulating Gut Microbiota

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of the high level of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) on growth performance, antioxidant capability, immune function, and fecal microbiota in weaning piglets. The results showed that 28 d body weight exhibited linear and quadratic increases (P < 0.05) with increasing dietary XOS level, as well as average daily feed intake (ADFI) on d 15–28, average daily gain (ADG) on d 15–28 and 1–28. There was a linear decrease (P < 0.05) between XOS levels and feed conversion rate (FCR) on d 1–14 and 1–28. Additionally, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) showed a linear increase (P < 0.05), while the malondialdehyde (MDA) level decreased linearly and quadratically (P < 0.05) with the increasing dietary level of XOS. Moreover, the XOS treatments markedly increased the levels of immunoglobulin A (Ig A) (linear, P < 0.05; quadratic, P < 0.05), IgM (quadratic, P < 0.05), IgG (linear, P < 0.05), and anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) (quadratic, P < 0.05) in serum, while the IL-1β (linear, P < 0.05; quadratic, P < 0.05) and IL-6 (linear, P < 0.05) decreased with increasing level of XOS. Microbiota analysis showed that dietary supplementation with 1.5% XOS decreased (P < 0.05) the α-diversity and enriched (P < 0.05) beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and Fusicatenibacter at the genus level, compared with the control group. Importantly, linearly increasing responses (P < 0.05) to fecal acetate, propionate, butyrate, and total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were observed with increasing level of XOS. Spearman correlation analyses found that Lactobacillus abundance was positively correlated with ADG, acetate, propionate, and IgA (P < 0.05), but negatively correlated with IL-1β (P < 0.05). Bifidobacterium abundance was positively related with ADFI, total SCFAs, IgG, and IL-10 (P < 0.05), as well as g_Fusicatenibacter abundance with ADFI, total SCFAs, and IL-10. However, Bifidobacterium and Fusicatenibacter abundances were negatively associated with MDA levels (P < 0.05). In summary, dietary supplementation with XOS can improve the growth performance in weaning piglets by increasing antioxidant capability, enhancing immune function, and promoting beneficial bacteria counts.

Effect of Arabinoxylan and Xylo-Oligosaccharide on Growth Performance and Intestinal Barrier Function in Weaned Piglets

“…Similarly, the colonic SOD and T-AOC activities in the XOS and AX groups were significantly greater than those in the CON group. Our findings were consistent with the previous study in which the serum GSH-Px concentration increased linearly with increasing dietary supplementation levels of XOS from 0% to 3% in weaning pigs [ 30 ]. Dietary supplementation of 400 mg/kg XOS decreased the serum MDA level and increased the activity of GSH-Px [ 31 ].…”

“…As reported, sow supplementation of 500 mg/kg XOS decreased serum IL-1β, IL-6, IL-2, and TNF-α levels in suckling piglets [ 2 ]. In another previous study, dietary supplementation of 1.5 and 3% XOS decreased the serum concentration of IL-1β compared with the control group [ 30 ]. The piglets in the XOS-treated group had a lower serum concentration of IL-6 and increased IL-10 content when the piglets were fed a diet containing 1.5% XOS [ 30 ].…”

“…In another previous study, dietary supplementation of 1.5 and 3% XOS decreased the serum concentration of IL-1β compared with the control group [ 30 ]. The piglets in the XOS-treated group had a lower serum concentration of IL-6 and increased IL-10 content when the piglets were fed a diet containing 1.5% XOS [ 30 ]. Yin et al found that XOS at 100 mg/kg of the feed only decreased the serum concentration of IFN-γ in weaning piglets, but had no impacts on IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 [ 4 ].…”

“…Many previous studies have reported that dietary supplementation of XOS decreased the diversity of the gut microbiota community [ 2 , 4 ]. The PCoA plots based on Bray–Curtis distances showed a clear separation between the XOS and control groups [ 30 ]. It has been reported that XOS can promote counts of Lactobacillus in weaning piglets [ 22 , 24 ], while the low level of XOS failed to stimulate the abundance of Bifidobacterium [ 22 , 30 , 35 ].…”

“…The PCoA plots based on Bray–Curtis distances showed a clear separation between the XOS and control groups [ 30 ]. It has been reported that XOS can promote counts of Lactobacillus in weaning piglets [ 22 , 24 ], while the low level of XOS failed to stimulate the abundance of Bifidobacterium [ 22 , 30 , 35 ]. In our study, the addition of XOS to the diet increased the abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in the ileal digesta of weaned piglets, while the addition of AX to the diet significantly increased an abundance of Lactobacillus in the ileal digesta and an abundance of Bifidobacterium in the colonic digesta of weaned piglets.…”