Correlation between villous height and the disaccharidase activity in the small intestine of piglets from nursing to growing

Abstract

Early weaning induces villous atrophy in the small intestine. Reduction in villous height in the small intestine after weaning is associated with reductions in brush-border enzyme activity. Body weight gain after weaning is, therefore, correlated with villous height. This evidence suggested that the maintenance of small intestinal structure and function after weaning is important for the growth of young pigs. On the other hand, the relationship between villous height and the activity of the digestive enzymes in the small intestine has not been studied with piglets from the suckling to the growing period. Five suckling piglets, four piglets in the proximal stage of weaning, four pigs in the distal stage of weaning and four growing pigs were used. The activities of lactase (LA), sucrase (SA) and maltase (MA) were determined. LA showed a positive correlation with villous height in weaning. SA and MA were positively correlated with villous height from suckling to growing. In a previous study, non-infectious dyspeptic diarrhea was frequently observed in growing piglets on Japanese swine farms. The maintenance of villous height to retain disaccharidase activity may prevent dyspepsic diarrhea in this stage.

The relationship between villous height and growth performance, small intestinal mucosal enzymes activities and nutrient transporters expression in weaned piglets

“…Marion et al () also reported that shortened small intestinal villus associates with absorptive capacity reductions. Our experimental result agreed with the previous report that brush border enzyme activity reduction in the small intestine relates to the reduction of VH (Hodin et al, ; Tsukahara et al, ). It may be possible that higher VH results in greater maltase, sucrase and ALP in the jejunum.…”

The injury of serotonin on intestinal epithelium cell renewal of weaned diarrhoea mice

“…Early weaning induces villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia in the small intestine, 33 and a reduction in villous height in the small intestine is associated with reductions in body weight gain after weaning. 34 Furthermore, there were alterations in electrolytes, and a lengthened crypt compartment in the jejunum in a rat lapatinib-induced diarrhoea model. 35 Compromising alterations in the villus–crypt structure are common in weaned pigs.…”

Dietary rice improves growth performance, mucosal enzyme activities and plasma urea nitrogen in weaning piglets

“…Tsukahara et al . () reported that the activities of maltase and sucrase were positively correlated with villus height in piglets. Vicente et al .…”

“…Until now, the mechanisms by which the higher activities of maltase and aminopeptidase obtained in rice feeding have been unknown and under consideration. Tsukahara et al (2013) reported that the activities of maltase and sucrase were positively correlated with villus height in piglets. Vicente et al (2009) have shown that villus area of the small intestine was larger in rice-fed pigs than in corn-fed pigs.…”