Protective effect of quercetin on pig intestinal integrity after transport stress is associated with regulation oxidative status and inflammation.
This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of quercetin supplementation on intestinal integrity, intestinal reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and intestinal inflammation in pigs under transport stress. A total of 170 finishing pigs were randomly assigned into two groups. Animals in the control group consumed a basal diet, while those in the treatment group consumed the same diet supplemented with 25 mg quercetin per kg feed. After a 4-week period, pigs were transported for 5 hr. The quercetin-supplemented pigs showed decreased serum levels of endotoxin (P<0.05), increased height of jejunum villi (P<0.05), and increased occludin and zonula occudens-1 (ZO-1) mRNA expression in the jejunum (P<0.05). These parameters are associated with intestinal health and were markedly improved by quercetin supplementation. Pigs consuming the quercetin-supplemented diet had lower intestinal levels of ROS and malondialdehyde (MDA) compared with the control group (P<0.05). This finding coincided with greater inhibition of the innate immune system (P<0.05), including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), protein kinase B (Akt) and nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways, as well as decreased expression of inflammatory cytokines in the jejunum. These results indicate that quercetin alleviates intestinal injury in pigs during transport, probably through modulation of intestinal oxidative status and inflammation.
Department of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, College of Animal Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan 430070, P. R. China.
Yi
Y
Zou
Hong Kui
HK
Wei
Quan-Hang
QH
Xiang
Jun
J
Wang
Yuan-Fei
YF
Zhou
Jian
J
Peng
D000822:Animal Husbandry / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D007422:Intestines / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000032:analysis; D062793:Occludin / Q000032:analysis; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects*; D011794:Quercetin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine; D013553:Swine Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014186:Transportation; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein / Q000032:analysis
D000975:Antioxidants; D062793:Occludin; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D011794:Quercetin