No abstract

Background Intestinal disorder is an important factor contributing to growth lag and high rates of morbidity and mortality of piglets with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Resveratrol (RSV) and its derivative pterostilbene (PT) are natural stilbenes possessing various bioactivities, such as antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects. This study compared the protective potential of RSV and PT on the intestinal redox status and gut microbiota in weanling piglets with IUGR. Methods Eighteen male piglets of normal body weight (NBW) and 54 same-sex IUGR piglets were chosen according to their birth and weaning weights. The NBW piglets accepted a basal diet, while the IUGR piglets were allotted to one of three groups according to their body weight at weaning and received a basal diet, an RSV-supplemented diet (300 mg/kg), or a PT-supplemented diet (300 mg/kg), respectively. Results Compared with IUGR piglets, both RSV and PT improved the IUGR-associated decrease in jejunal villus height and increases in plasma diamine oxidase activity and D-lactate level and jejunal apoptosis of piglets (P < 0.05). Administering RSV and PT also enhanced jejunal superoxide dismutase activity and the mRNA and protein expression of superoxide dismutase 2 of IUGR piglets by promoting nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) nuclear translocation (P < 0.05). Comparatively, PT was more effective than RSV in elevating the villus height/crypt depth ratio and occludin mRNA and protein levels in the jejunum of IUGR piglets (P < 0.05). PT was also superior to RSV in increasing Nrf2 nuclear translocation and inhibiting malondialdehyde accumulation in the jejunum of IUGR piglets (P < 0.05). Additionally, RSV modulated the composition of cecal microbiota of IUGR piglets, as evidenced by increasing the prevalence of the phylum Bacteroidetes and the genera Prevotella, Faecalibacterium, and Parabacteroides and inhibiting the growth of the phylum Proteobacteria and its genera Escherichia and Actinobacillus (P < 0.05). Moreover, RSV significantly increased the butyrate concentration in the cecum of IUGR piglets (P < 0.05). Conclusion PT is more potent than RSV to prevent intestinal oxidative stress, while RSV has a stronger capacity to regulate gut microbiota compared to PT.

The present study explored the potential effect of pterostilbene as a prophylactic treatment on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal injury of broiler chickens by monitoring changes in mucosal injury indicators, redox status, and inflammatory responses. In total, 192 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups. This trial consisted of a 2 × 2 factorial design with a diet factor (supplemented with 0 or 400 mg/kg pterostilbene from 1 to 22 d of age) and a stress factor (intraperitoneally injected with saline or LPS at 5.0 mg/kg BW at 21 da of age). The results showed that LPS challenge induced a decrease in BW gain (P &lt; 0.001) of broilers during a 24-h period postinjection; however, this decrease was prevented by pterostilbene supplementation (P = 0.031). Administration of LPS impaired the intestinal integrity of broilers, as indicated by increased plasma diamine oxidase (DAO) activity (P = 0.014) and d-lactate content (P &lt; 0.001), reduced jejunal villus height (VH; P &lt; 0.001) and the ratio of VH to crypt depth (VH:CD; P &lt; 0.001), as well as a decreased mRNA level of jejunal tight junction protein 1 (ZO-1; P = 0.002). In contrast, pterostilbene treatment increased VH:CD (P = 0.018) and upregulated the mRNA levels of ZO-1 (P = 0.031) and occludin (P = 0.024) in the jejunum. Consistently, pterostilbene counteracted the LPS-induced increased DAO activity (P = 0.011) in the plasma. In addition, the LPS-challenged broilers exhibited increases in nuclear accumulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 (P &lt; 0.001), the protein content of tumor necrosis factor α (P = 0.033), and the mRNA abundance of IL-1β (P = 0.042) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3; P = 0.019). In contrast, pterostilbene inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 (P = 0.039) and suppressed the mRNA expression of IL-1β (P = 0.003) and NLRP3 (P = 0.049) in the jejunum. Moreover, pterostilbene administration induced a greater amount of reduced glutathione (P = 0.017) but a lower content of malondialdehyde (P = 0.023) in the jejunum of broilers compared with those received a basal diet. Overall, the current study indicates that dietary supplementation with pterostilbene may play a beneficial role in alleviating the intestinal damage of broiler chicks under the conditions of immunological stress.

Pterostilbene is more effective than resveratrol in alleviating liver injury, facilitating redox status, and improving mitochondrial function of piglets.