title: Diosmectite-zinc oxide composite improves intestinal barrier function, modulates expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and tight junction protein in early weaned pigs.
abstract: The study evaluated whether feeding diosmectite-ZnO composite (DS-ZnO) at 500 mg Zn/kg to early weaned pigs would alleviate the weaning-related intestinal disorders as a substitute for high concentration of ZnO (2250 mg Zn/kg). The pigs weaned at an age of 21 ± 1 d were allotted to four treatments groups as follows: (1) control; (2) DS-ZnO, 500 mg Zn/kg diet; (3) ZnO, 2250 mg Zn/kg diet; and (4) mixture of 2·0 g DS/kg and 500 mg Zn/kg from ZnO (equal amount of DS and ZnO in the DS-ZnO treatment group). The results showed that, compared with the control on days 7 and 14 post-weaning, addition of DS-ZnO at 500 mg Zn/kg improved (P<0·05) daily gain and feed intake, decreased (P<0·05) post-weaning scour scores, increased (P<0·05) jejunal villus height and the ratio of villus height and crypt depth, decreased (P<0·05) jejunal paracellular permeability of fluorescein isothiocyanate dextran 4 kDa and up-regulated (P<0·05) tight junction protein expression of occludin, claudin-1 and zonula occludens-1 in jejunal mucosa. The mRNA levels of TNF-α, IL-6 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) on day 7 post-weaning were also decreased (P<0·05). The piglets fed DS-ZnO at 500 mg Zn/kg did not differ in the above parameters from those fed ZnO at 2250 mg Zn/kg, while they had better performance than those fed the mixture of DS and ZnO. Supplementation with DS-ZnO at 500 mg Zn/kg was effective in alleviating diarrhoea, barrier dysfunction and inflammatory cytokine expression and up-regulating tight junction protein expression.
authors: Animal Science College, Zhejiang University, The Key Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China. chhu@zju.edu.cn
authors: Caihong
authors: C
authors: Hu
authors: Juan
authors: J
authors: Song
authors: Yali
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Zhaoshuang
authors: Z
authors: Luan
authors: Kang
authors: K
authors: Zhu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D003911:Dextrans / Q000737:chemistry; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007249:Inflammation; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D007422:Intestines / Q000187:drug effects*; D007583:Jejunum / Q000187:drug effects; D017640:Silicates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014886:Weaning; D015034:Zinc Oxide / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D003911:Dextrans; D015850:Interleukin-6; D017640:Silicates; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D007371:Interferon-gamma; C033214:Smectite; D016650:Fluorescein-5-isothiocyanate; D015034:Zinc Oxide