Effect of Isoleucine and Added Valine on Performance, Nutrients Digestibility and Gut Microbiota Composition of Pigs Fed with Very Low Protein Diets

Low-Protein Diets Differentially Regulate Energy Balance during Thermoneutral and Heat Stress in Cobb Broiler Chicken (Gallus domesticus)

The objective was to assess whether low-protein (LP) diets regulate food intake (FI) and thermogenesis differently during thermoneutral (TN) and heat stress (HS) conditions. Two-hundred-day-old male broiler chicks were weight-matched and assigned to 36 pens with 5-6 chicks/pen. After 2 weeks of acclimation, birds were subjected into four groups (9 pens/group) including (1) a normal-protein diet under TN (ambient temperature), (2) an LP diet under TN, (3) a normal-protein diet under HS (35 °C for 7 h/day), and (4) an LP diet under HS, for 4 weeks. During HS, but not TN, LP tended to decrease FI, which might be associated with a lower mRNA abundance of duodenal ghrelin and higher GIP during HS. The LP group had a higher thermal radiation than NP under TN, but during HS, the LP group had a lower thermal radiation than NP. This was linked with higher a transcript of muscle β1AR and AMPKα1 during TN, but not HS. Further, LP increased the gene expression of COX IV during TN but reduced COX IV and the sirtuin 1 abundance during HS. The dietary protein content differentially impacted plasma metabolome during TN and HS with divergent changes in amino acids such as tyrosine and tryptophan. Compared to NP, LP had increased abundances of p_Tenericutes, c_Mollicutes, c_Mollicutes_RF9, and f_tachnospiraceae under HS. Overall, LP diets may mitigate the negative outcome of heat stress on the survivability of birds by reducing FI and heat production. The differential effect of an LP diet on energy balance during TN and HS is likely regulated by gut and skeletal muscle and alterations in plasma metabolites and cecal microbiota.

Amino acids in piglet diarrhea: Effects, mechanisms and insights

Piglet diarrhea is among one of the most serious health problems faced by the pig industry, resulting in significant economic losses. Diarrheal disease in piglets has a multifactorial etiology that is affected by physiology, environment, and management strategy. Diarrhea is the most apparent symptom of intestinal dysfunction. As a key class of essential nutrients in the piglet diet, amino acids confer a variety of beneficial effects on piglets in addition to being used as a substrate for protein synthesis, including maintaining appropriate intestinal integrity, permeability and epithelial renewal, and alleviating morphological damage and inflammatory and oxidative stress. Thus, provision of appropriate levels of amino acids could alleviate piglet diarrhea. Most amino acid effects are mediated by metabolites, gut microbes, and related signaling pathways. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of dietary amino acid effects on gut health and diarrhea incidence in piglets, and reveal the mechanisms involved. We also provide ideas for using amino acid blends and emphasize the importance of amino acid balance in the diet to prevent diarrhea in piglets.

Swine Gastrointestinal Microbiota and the Effects of Dietary Amino Acids on Its Composition and Metabolism

Many researchers consider gut microbiota (trillions of microorganisms) an endogenous organ of its animal host, which confers a vast genetic diversity in providing the host with essential biological functions. Particularly, the gut microbiota regulates not only gut tissue structure but also gut health and gut functionality. This paper first summarized those common bacterial species (dominated by the Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, and Proteobacteria phyla) in swine gut and then briefly discussed their roles in swine nutrition and health, which include roles in nutrient metabolism, pathogen exclusion, and immunity modulation. Secondly, the current knowledge on how dietary nutrients and feed additives affect the gut bacterial composition and nutrient metabolism in pigs was discussed. Finally, how dietary amino acids affect the relative abundances and metabolism of bacteria in the swine gut was reviewed. Tryptophan supplementation promotes the growth of beneficial bacteria and suppresses pathogens, while arginine metabolism affects nitrogen recycling, impacting gut immune response and health. Glutamate and glutamine supplementations elevate the levels of beneficial bacteria and mitigate pathogenic ones. It was concluded that nutritional strategies to manipulate gut microbial ecosystems are useful measures to optimize gut health and gut functions. For example, providing pigs with nutrients that promote the growth of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium can lead to better gut health and growth performance, especially when dietary protein is limited. Further research to establish the mechanistic cause-and-effect relationships between amino acids and the dynamics of gut microbiota will allow swine producers to reap the greatest return on their feed investment.

The biological functions and metabolic pathways of valine in swine

Valine is an essential amino acid and a type of branched-chain amino acid. Due to the involvement of branched-chain amino acids in various metabolic pathways, there has been a surge of interests in valine nutrition and its role in animal physiology. In pigs, the interactions between valine and other branched-chain amino acids or aromatic amino acids are complex. In this review, we delve into the interaction mechanism, metabolic pathways, and biological functions of valine. Appropriate valine supplementation not only enhances growth and reproductive performances, but also modulates gut microbiota and immune functions. Based on past observations and interpretations, we provide recommended feed levels of valine for weaned piglets, growing pigs, gilts, lactating sows, barrows and entire males. The summarized valine nutrient requirements for pigs at different stages offer valuable insights for future research and practical applications in animal husbandry.

The Effect of Prebiotic Supplements on the Gastrointestinal Microbiota and Associated Health Parameters in Pigs

Establishing a balanced and diverse microbiota in the GIT of pigs is crucial for optimizing health and performance throughout the production cycle. The post-weaning period is a critical phase, as it is often associated with dysbiosis, intestinal dysfunction and poor performance. Traditionally, intestinal dysfunctions associated with weaning have been alleviated using antibiotics and/or antimicrobials. However, increasing concerns regarding the prevalence of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria has prompted an industry-wide drive towards identifying natural sustainable dietary alternatives. Modulating the microbiota through dietary intervention can improve animal health by increasing the production of health-promoting metabolites associated with the improved microbiota, while limiting the establishment and proliferation of pathogenic bacteria. Prebiotics are a class of bioactive compounds that resist digestion by gastrointestinal enzymes, but which can still be utilized by beneficial microbes within the GIT. Prebiotics are a substrate for these beneficial microbes and therefore enhance their proliferation and abundance, leading to the increased production of health-promoting metabolites and suppression of pathogenic proliferation in the GIT. There are a vast range of prebiotics, including carbohydrates such as non-digestible oligosaccharides, beta-glucans, resistant starch, and inulin. Furthermore, the definition of a prebiotic has recently expanded to include novel prebiotics such as peptides and amino acids. A novel class of -biotics, referred to as "stimbiotics", was recently suggested. This bioactive group has microbiota-modulating capabilities and promotes increases in short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production in a disproportionally greater manner than if they were merely substrates for bacterial fermentation. The aim of this review is to characterize the different prebiotics, detail the current understating of stimbiotics, and outline how supplementation to pigs at different stages of development and production can potentially modulate the GIT microbiota and subsequently improve the health and performance of animals.

Gut Health and Influencing Factors in Pigs

The gastrointestinal tract (GIT) is a complex, dynamic, and critical part of the body, which plays an important role in the digestion and absorption of ingested nutrients and excreting waste products of digestion. In addition, GIT also plays a vital role in preventing the entry of harmful substances and potential pathogens into the bloodstream. The gastrointestinal tract hosts a significant number of microbes, which throughout their metabolites, directly interact with the hosts. In modern intensive animal farming, many factors can disrupt GIT functions. As dietary nutrients and biologically active substances play important roles in maintaining homeostasis and eubiosis in the GIT, this review aims to summarize the current status of our knowledge on the most important areas.

Amino Acids in Health and Disease: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Special Issue "Amino Acid Metabolism and Regulation in Health and Disease 2 [...].

Effects of Dietary Isoleucine Supplementation on the Production Performance, Health Status and Cecal Microbiota of Arbor Acre Broiler Chickens

A total of 24,000 healthy 1-day-old Arbor Acres broilers with similar initial weights were used in this study and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0, 400 and 800 mg/kg isoleucine (Ile), denoted CON, ILE400 and ILE800, respectively. Results revealed that the final body weight, average daily weight gain, and eviscerated carcass rate, of broiler chickens in the ILE400 group were significantly higher than in other groups (p < 0.05). In addition, the ILE400 and ILE800 groups had a lower feed conversion rate and a higher survival rate and breast muscle rate (p < 0.05), while the abdominal fat rate was significantly lower than the CON group (p < 0.05). There were significantly lower serum concentrations of UREA, glucose (GLU) and total cholesterol (TCHO) in the ILE400 and ILE800 groups than in the CON group (p < 0.05); glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity was significantly higher in the ILE400 group than in the other groups, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) concentration was considerably lower than in other groups (p < 0.05). Moreover, interleukin (IL)-10 concentration in the ILE800 group was significantly higher than in the other groups (p < 0.05). The ILE400 group significantly down-regulated the mRNA expressions of fatty-acid synthase (FASN) and solid alcohol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c), and significantly up-regulated the mRNA expressions of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and sirtuin1 (Sirt1) (p < 0.05). The ILE400 group had significantly higher intestinal villus height than the CON and ILE800 groups, while the ILE800 group had significantly lower intestinal villus height/crypt depth (p < 0.05). Furthermore, high-throughput sequencing showed that the Shannon index, and Verrucomicrobiota, Colidextribacter and Bacteroides abundances were significantly higher in the ILE400 group than in the CON group (p < 0.05). Interestingly, the ILE800 group reduced the Simpson index, phylum Firmicutes and Bacteroidota abundances (including genera Colidextribacter, Butyricicoccus, [Ruminococcus]_torques_group, Bacteroides, Alistipes, Barnesiella and Butyricimonas), and increased Proteobacteria and Cyanobacteria (including genera Dyella, Devosia, unidentified_Chloroplast and Hyphomicrobium) (p < 0.05). Overall, our study showed that adding 400 mg/kg Ile to the diet (diets total Ile levels at 1.01%, 0.90% and 0.87% during the starter, grower and finisher phases, respectively) increased production performance and improved the health status in broiler chickens.

Dietary Isoleucine and Valine: Effects on Lipid Metabolism and Ureagenesis in Pigs Fed with Protein Restricted Diets

A mixture of valine (Val) and isoleucine (Ile) not only decreases the negative impact of very low protein (VLP) diets on the growth of pigs, but also influences the nitrogen (N) balance and lipid metabolism; however, the underlying pathways are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary Val and Ile on lipogenesis, lipolysis, and ureagenesis under protein restriction. After one week of acclimation, forty three-week-old pigs were randomly assigned to following dietary treatments (n = 8/group) for 5 weeks: positive control (PC): normal protein diet; negative control (NC): VLP diet; HV: NC supplemented with Val; HI: NC supplemented with Ile; and HVI: NC supplemented with both Val and Ile. HVI partially improved the body weight and completely recovered the feed intake (FI) of pigs fed with NC. HVI increased thermal radiation and improved the glucose clearance. HVI had a lower blood triglyceride than PC and blood urea N than NC. NC and HV promoted lipogenesis by increasing the transcript of fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the liver and lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in adipose tissue but reducing hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) in the liver. HVI reduced the increased rate of lipogenesis induced by the NC group through normalizing the mRNA abundance of hepatic FAS, sterol regulatory element binding transcription factor 1, and HSL and LPL in adipose tissue. NC, HV, HI, and HVI reduced the ureagenesis by decreasing the protein abundance of carbamoyl phosphate synthetase I, ornithine transcarboxylase, and arginosuccinate lyase in the liver. Overall, HVI improved the growth, FI, and glucose clearance, and decreased the rate of lipogenesis induced by VLP diets.