Magnolol additive improves growth performance of Linwu ducklings by modulating antioxidative status

Magnolol is a bioactive polyphenolic compound commonly found in Magnolia officinalis. The aim of this study is to clarify the contribution of the magnolol additive on the growth performance of Linwu ducklings aging from 7 to 28 d, comparing to the effects of antibiotic additive (colistin sulphate). A total of 325, 7-d-old ducklings were assigned to 5 groups. Each group had 5 cages with 13 ducklings in each cage. The ducklings in different groups were fed with diets supplemented with 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg magnolol additive (MA) (Control, MA100, MA200 and MA300) and 30 mg/kg colistin sulphate (CS30) for 3 weeks, respectively. Parameters regarding to the growth performance, intestinal mucosal morphology, serum biochemical indices, antioxidant and peroxide biomarkers and the expression levels of antioxidant-related genes were evaluated by one way ANOVA analysis. The results showed that 30 mg/kg colistin sulphate, 200 and 300 mg/kg magnolol additive improved the average final weight (P = 0.045), average daily body weight gain (P = 0.038) and feed/gain ratios (P = 0.001) compared to the control group. 200 and 300 mg/kg magnolol additive significantly increased the villus height/crypt depth ratio of ileum, compared to the control and CS30 groups (P = 0.001). Increased serum level of glucose (P = 0.011) and total protein (P = 0.006) were found in MA200 or MA300 group. In addition, comparing to the control and CS30 groups, MA200 or MA300 significantly increased the levels of superoxide dismutase (P = 0.038), glutathione peroxidase (P = 0.048) and reduced glutathione (P = 0.039) in serum. Moreover, the serum and hepatic levels of 8-hydroxy-2’-deoxyguanosine (P = 0.043 and 0.007, respectively) were lower in all MA groups compared to those of the control and CS30 group. The hepatic mRNA expression levels of superoxide dismutase-1, catalase and nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2/erythroid-derived CNC-homology factor were also increased significantly in MA200 and MA300 groups (P < 0.05). Taken together, these data demonstrated that MA was an effective feed additive enhancing the growth performance of Linwu ducklings at 7 to 28 d by improving the antioxidant and intestinal mucosal status. It suggested that MA could be a potential ingredient to replace the colistin sulphate in diets.

Goblet Cell Hyperplasia is not Epithelial-Autonomous in the Cftr Knockout Intestine

Goblet cell hyperplasia is an important manifestation of cystic fibrosis (CF) disease in epithelial-lined organs. Explants of CF airway epithelium show normalization of goblet cell numbers; therefore we hypothesized that small intestinal enteroids from Cftr knockout (KO) mice would not exhibit goblet cell hyperplasia. Toll-like receptors 2 and 4 (Tlr2, Tlr4) were investigated as markers of inflammation and influence on goblet cell differentiation. Ex vivo studies found goblet cell hyperplasia in Cftr KO jejunum as compared to wild-type (WT). IL-13, SAM pointed domain-containing ETS transcription factor (Spdef), Tlr2 and Tlr4 protein expression was increased in Cftr KO intestine relative to WT. In contrast, WT and Cftr KO enteroids did not exhibit differences in basal or IL-13-stimulated goblet cell numbers, or differences in expression of Tlr2, Tlr4 and Spdef. Ileal goblet cell numbers in Cftr KO/Tlr4 KO and Cftr KO/Tlr2 KO mice were not different from Cftr KO mice, but enumeration was confounded by altered mucosal morphology. Treatment with Tlr4 agonist LPS did not affect goblet cell numbers in WT or Cftr KO enteroids, whereas the Tlr2 agonist Pam3Csk4 stimulated goblet cell hyperplasia in both genotypes. Pam3Csk4 stimulation of goblet cell numbers was associated with suppression of Notch1 and Neurog3 expression and upregulated determinants of goblet cell differentiation. We conclude that goblet cell hyperplasia and inflammation of the Cftr KO small intestine are not exhibited by enteroids, indicating that this manifestation of CF intestinal disease is not epithelial-automatous but secondary to the altered CF intestinal environment.

Comparative Analysis of Mucociliary Clearance and Mucosal Morphology Using High-Speed Videomicroscopy in Children With Acute and Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Objective evaluation of mucociliary clearance and mucosal morphology using high-speed videomicroscopy, and their association with markers of disease severity in children with acute (ARS) and chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Methods A total of 67 children aged from 6 to 17 years including 15 healthy children, 20 pediatric patients with acute rhinosinusitis, and 32 cases with chronic rhinosinusitis were enrolled in the present study. SNOT20, Lund-Kennedy, and Lund-Mackay scores were also evaluated. Results Children with rhinosinusitis were characterized by significantly lower number of cells with motile cilia, ciliary beat frequency, cilia length, and cell viability, as well as ciliary beat asynchrony, epithelia dystrophy and reduced epithelial cell height, being more severe in ARS group. Neutrophil infiltration of sinonasal mucosa was more profound in children with ARS, whereas the number of lymphocytes was significantly reduced. Markers of ciliary function were characterized by a significant correlation with epithelia dystrophia and neutrophil infiltration. Discriminant analysis demonstrated significant group separation based on the parameters of mucociliary clearance and mucosal morphology. In regression models mucociliary function was also associated with SNOT20, Lund-Kennedy, and Lund-Mackay scores. Conclusion The results of the present study demonstrate significant alteration of mucociliary clearance and mucosal morphology and its association with sinonasal inflammation and disease severity in patients with rhinosinusitis. Given a tight association between altered mucociliary clearance and severity of the disease, modulation of inflammation and ciliary function both in acute and chronic rhinosinusitis may be considered as the potential tool in therapeutic and surgical management of the disease.

Effects of early commercial milk supplement on the mucosal morphology, bacterial community and bacterial metabolites in jejunum of the pre- and post-weaning piglets

Objective: Sow milk (SM) may not be able to meet the piglet’s nutritional needs in late lactation. Hence, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of early commercial milk (CM) supplement on the mucosal morphology, bacterial community and bacterial metabolites in jejunum of piglets.Methods: Ten litters of newborn piglets ([Yorkshire×Landrace]×Duroc) were randomly divided into 2 groups of 5 litters. The piglets in the control group were suckled by the sow (SM), while the piglets in the treatment group (CM supplement) were supplemented with a CM supplement along with suckling from d 4 to d 28 of age.Results: No significant differences were observed about jejunal mucosal morphology on d 28 and d 35 between two groups. On d 28, the activity of lactase in the jejunum was significantly decreased in the CM group, while the activity of sucrase and the ratio of maltase to lactase were significantly increased (p<0.05). On d 35, the activity of maltase in the jejunum was significantly increased in the CM group (p<0.05), and maltase to lactase ratio tended to increase in the CM group (p = 0.065). In addition, piglets in the CM group had a higher abundance of Clostridium XI, Tuicibater, and Moraxella in the jejunum on d 28, while the abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly increased on d 35 (p<0.05).Conclusion: The early CM supplement improved the maturation of the jejunum to some extent by enhancing the maltase and sucrase activities. Moreover, the early CM supplement could help maintain the homeostasis of internal environment in jejunum by increasing the microbial-derived metabolites.

19 Effects of glutathione on growth performance and intestinal health of piglets

Object: The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of different levels of glutathione (GSH) on growth performance and intestinal health of piglets. Methods: A total of 180 piglets of 21-day-old (Duroc × Landrace × Large White) were randomly divided into 5 groups. The control group was fed a standard diet based on NRC 2012. The treatment group 1 - 4 was supplemented with 50, 100, 200 and 400mg/kg GSH. The experiment lasted 28 days. Results: Compared with the control group, 50mg/kg GSH significantly increased the piglet’s skin and gross color, average daily gain (ADG) and decreased feed gain ratio (F/G) (P &lt; 0.05), while the effect of 100, 200, 400 mg/kg GSH was contrary. The supplementation of 50mg/kg GSH significantly increased the mucosal villi height, the ratio of villous height to crypt depth (VH/CD) and decreased the crypt depth (P &lt; 0.05) in duodenum, jejunum and ileum (P &lt; 0.05), while the effect of 100, 200, 400 mg/kg GSH was contrary; The supplementation of 50mg/kg GSH decreased the concentration of triglyceride in plasma (P &lt; 0.05); The supplementation of 50, 100, 200, 400mg/kg GSH had no effect on the antioxidative indexes of blood, but 400mg/kg GSH increased the activities of T-AOC, GSH, SOD and decreased MDA content in jejunum and ileum; 400mg/kg GSH increased the content of T-SOD in liver (P &lt; 0.05), while 50mg/kg GSH had no effect on SOD, GSH-PX, GSH-SOD in intestine and liver (P &gt; 0.05). 50mg/kg GSH significantly increased T-AOC activity and decreased MDA content in muscle (P &lt; 0.05). Conclusion: Supplementation of 50mg/kg GSH in piglets` diet was the most appropriate and it could significantly improve skin and gross color, growth performance and intestinal mucosal morphology, it also increased the antioxidation ability in muscle of piglets.