Journal Article

Effects of Chitosan on Intestinal Inflammation in Weaned Pigs Challenged by Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli

Liu, Gang, Hu, Xionggui, Tang, Zhiru, Wang, Yongfei, Nyachoti, Charles M., Ran, Maoliang, Qiu, Wei, Kim, Sung Woo, Yin, Yulong, Xiao, Dingfu, He, Jianhua, Feng, Zemeng

2014

Overview

The aim of this study was to investigate whether supplementation with chitosan (COS) could reduce diarrhea and to explore how COS alleviates intestinal inflammation in weaned pigs. Thirty pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire, initial BW of 5.65±0.27) weaned at age 21 d were challenged with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli during a preliminary trial period, and then divided into three treatment groups. Pigs in individual pens were fed a corn-soybean meal diet, that contained either 0 (control), 50 mg/kg chlortetracycline, or 300 mg/kg COS for 21 days. The post-weaning diarrhea frequency, calprotectin levels and TLR4 protein expression were decreased (P<0.05) in both the COS and chlortetracycline groups compared with control. Simultaneously, supplemental COS and chlortetracycline had no effect on the mRNA expression of TNF-α in the jejunal mucosa, or on the concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in serum. However, COS supplementation improved (P<0.05) the mRNA expression of IL-1β and IL-6 in the jejunal mucosa. The results indicate that supplementation with COS at 300 mg/kg was effective for alleviating intestinal inflammation and enhancing the cell-mediated immune response. As feed additives, chitosan and chlortetracycline may influence different mechanisms for alleviating inflammation in piglets.

• Publisher: Public Library of Science,Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subject: Agriculture / Analysis / Animal sciences / Animals / Antibiotics / B cells / Bacteria / Biology and Life Sciences / Chitosan / Chitosan - administration & dosage / Chlortetracycline / Corn / Cytokines / Diarrhea / Diarrhea - drug therapy / Diarrhea - veterinary / Diet / Dietary supplements / Drug resistance / E coli / Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli - drug effects / Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli - pathogenicity / Escherichia coli / Feces / Feed additives / Feeds / Food additives / Gene expression / Gene Expression - drug effects / Immune response / Immune response (cell-mediated) / Immune system / Immunity, Cellular - drug effects / Inflammation / Inflammation - drug therapy / Inflammation - microbiology / Inflammation - veterinary / Inflammatory bowel disease / Interleukin 6 / Intestine / Intestines - drug effects / Intestines - microbiology / Intestines - pathology / Laboratories / Leukocyte L1 Antigen Complex / Molecular weight / Morphology / Mucosa / R&D / Research & development / Research and Analysis Methods / RNA / Rodents / Soybeans / Swine / TLR4 protein / Toll-Like Receptor 4 - biosynthesis / Toll-like receptors / Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - biosynthesis / Tumor necrosis factor-α / Weaning / Zoology