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149 Impacts of short chain fatty acid derivatives on disease resistance and gut health of weaned pigs.

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Commercially raised pigs are particularly susceptible to disruptions in intestinal homeostasis immediately after weaning, during which enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection and subsequent diarrhea pose significant challenges. The two most prominent strains of ETEC, F4 and F18, are distinguished by different fimbrial structures that enable bacterial adherence to the porcine small intestinal lining. The inflammatory response to ETEC begins with the detection of the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide. The production of additional toxins induces diarrhea, while inflammatory mediators produced by the host during infection can further compromise intestinal barrier integrity. To preserve the efficacy of antibiotics and mitigate the development of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial populations, subtherapeutic antibiotic use cannot be employed to address ETEC in piglets. Among alternative intervention strategies, dietary supplementation with short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) may support piglet health under ETEC-challenged conditions due to their immunomodulatory effects and potential benefits for intestinal barrier integrity. Several in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the biological activities of derivatives of two SCFAs: butyrate (C4) and valerate (C5). Sodium butyrate, monobutyrin, and monovalerin exhibited strong in vitro antimicrobial activity against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, including F18 ETEC. Additionally, they demonstrated anti-inflammatory properties and improved intestinal barrier integrity in vitro, using porcine alveolar macrophages and the intestinal porcine enterocyte cell line. A pilot animal study was conducted to determine the appropriate disease challenge inoculation dose for co-infection with the two ETEC strains (F4 and F18) and to assess the effects of dietary supplementation with butyrate or valerate glyceride on disease resistance in weaned pigs. All piglets coinfected with ETEC F4 and F18 exhibited increased diarrhea severity scores after inoculation, and hemolytic coliforms indicative of ETEC infection were present in fecal cultures post-inoculation. Dietary supplementation with 0.10% butyrate or valerate glyceride reduced the frequency of severe diarrhea and modulated systemic immunity in weaned pigs co-infected with F4 and F18 ETEC. Another ETEC disease challenge study similarly found that piglets fed 0.10% trivalerin exhibited a reduced frequency of severe diarrhea throughout the trial period. Furthermore, intestinal mucosal mRNA expression of TNF-α was decreased in piglets fed with trivalerin, while ZO1 expression was increased compared to controls. Trivalerin supplementation also maintained lower serum TNF-α levels throughout the trial period. Although the production of SCFAs by commensal microbial species is less pronounced in the small intestine, studying these compounds as dietary supplements has proven to be insightful. This research expands our understanding of the effects of valerate the intestinal environment, particularly in relation to its anti-inflammatory properties and potential to support intestinal barrier function. In conclusion, these collective findings demonstrate the potential benefits of supplementing diets with glycerides of butyrate or valerate during the post-weaning period.
DOI: 10.1093/jas/skaf300.372
Language: English
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4414831122
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