title: Chitosan-zinc chelate improves intestinal structure and mucosal function and decreases apoptosis in ileal mucosal epithelial cells in weaned pigs.
abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of chitosan (CS)-Zn on intestinal morphology, mucosal epithelial cell apoptosis and mucosal immune function in weanling pigs. A total of 150 weanling barrows with a body weight of 7.2 kg were randomly allocated into five groups. A basal diet without Zn supplementation was used as the control and other four groups were fed the control diet supplemented with 50 or 100 mg/kg of Zn as CS-Zn, 100 mg/kg of Zn as ZnSO4 and 3000 mg/kg of Zn as ZnO, respectively. The feeding trial lasted for 28 d. The results showed that serum diamine oxidase activities, d-lactate levels and endotoxin contents were lower in pigs fed dietary 100 mg/kg of Zn as CS-Zn or 3000 mg/kg of Zn as ZnO than in pigs fed the control or 100 mg Zn/kg as ZnSO4 diet. The ratios of the villus height:crypt depth of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum were higher in pigs that received 100 mg/kg of Zn as CS-Zn or a high level of Zn as ZnO than in pigs fed the control diet. Moreover, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end labelling (TUNEL)-stained ileal epithelial cells were found in the control group, and apoptotic cells did not appear prominently in pigs that received the 100 mg/kg of CS-Zn or ZnO diet. Secretory IgA concentration in ileal mucus was increased in the dietary group that received 100 mg/kg of CS-Zn or ZnO. These results indicated that dietary 100 mg CS-Zn/kg had similar biological effects to dietary 3000 mg ZnO/kg on intestinal morphology, mucosal epithelial cell apoptosis and mucosal immune function.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Xin-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Han
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yuan-Fei
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Meng-Yuan
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Lv
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Peng
authors.initials: ZP
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou 310058, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Chun
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Qian
mesh_terms: D006631:Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing) / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001682:Biological Availability; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048271:Chitosan / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D007082:Ileum / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000378:metabolism; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D007421:Intestine, Small; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D014886:Weaning; D015032:Zinc / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002614:Chelating Agents; D004731:Endotoxins; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory; D019344:Lactic Acid; D048271:Chitosan; D006631:Amine Oxidase (Copper-Containing); D015032:Zinc