Gene expression of intestinal tight junction proteins of piglets fed lignin and challenged with oral Escherichia coli

• Grant number: 24/07913-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2024
• End date: July 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Marcos Livio Panhoza Tse
• Grantee: Beatriz Augusto Gomes
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

After weaning, piglets faces social, nutritional, and sanitary changes that can affect its health and welfare. One of the main bacteria causing diarrhea in piglets after weaning is Escherichia coli (E. coli), which affects the function of the intestinal barrier. To avoid this scenario, additives are used in piglet diets, such as prebiotics in replacement to antibiotics as growth promotor. Thus, the present trial aims to evaluate the gene expression of intestinal occlusive proteins (claudins 1 and 2, occludin, and zona occludens) that help maintain this intestinal barrier in oral E. coli challenged weaned piglets and fed lignin as a potential prebiotic additive. Twenty-four weaned piglets will be used, feeding a Pre-starter diet from 21 to 35 days of age, distributed in a randomized block design, with three treatments, eight replications, with the animal as the experimental unit: ANT - Basal diet with 120 ppm of halquinol (antibiotic); L0.3 - Basal diet without halquinol added 0.3% of Pinus Kraft lignin; L0.6 - Basal diet without halquinol added 0.6% of Pinus Kraft lignin. On the 12th, 13th, and 14th days of the experiment, all animals will receive one (1) daily oral dose of 6 mL of enterotoxigenic suspension of Escherichia coli (ETEC K88+) containing 108 CFU/mL (sanitary challenge) (total of three doses). On the 15th day of the experiment, the animals will be slaughtered and 2cm of jejunum will be collected for gene expression analysis of occlusive junction proteins, claudin 1, claudin 2, occludin and zona occludens by the qPCR method.