Dietary Supplementation With Fine-Grinding Wheat Bran Improves Lipid Metabolism and Inflammatory Response via Modulating the Gut Microbiota Structure in Pregnant Sow

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of fine-grinding wheat bran on pregnant sow body condition, lipid metabolism, inflammatory response, and gut microbiota. In this study, wheat bran was crushed into three particle sizes. A total of 60 Landrace × Yorkshire second parity sows were allotted to two groups: CWB (a diet containing coarse wheat bran with particle size of 605 μm) and FWB (a diet containing fine wheat bran with particle size of 438 μm). Fine-grinding wheat bran had higher soluble dietary fiber concentration, swelling capacity, water-holding capacity, and fermentability than coarse wheat bran. Pregnant sows fed FWB throughout pregnancy had lower body weight and fat deposition than sows fed CWB. And the piglet body weight at birth of the FWB group was remarkably increased. Serum concentrations of lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, and free fatty acid), interleukin 6, leptin, and resistin were decreased on day 90 of pregnancy by fine wheat bran supplementation. Feeding FWB significantly decreased abundance of Firmicutes and dramatically increased the abundance of Bacteroidetes at phylum level. At genus level, the abundance of Terrisporobacter was decreased in FWB feeding sows, but the abundance of Parabacteroides was increased. Fecal total short-chain fatty acids, propionate, and butyrate contents were markedly increased in the FWB group. The results suggested that the physicochemical properties of finely ground wheat bran had been improved. Dietary supplementation with fine wheat bran changed the gut microbiota structure and enhanced the short-chain fatty acids level, which improved the maternal body condition, metabolic and inflammatory status, and reproductive performance in sows.

Maternal Malic Acid May Ameliorate Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Sows through Modulating Gut Microbiota and Host Metabolic Profiles during Late Pregnancy

“…The intestinal microbiota is closely associated with oxidative stress and inflammation and many exogenous additives regulate oxidative stress and inflammation levels in the body by modulating the structure of the intestinal microbiota [34,35]. Dietary fiber composition in the gestational diet of sows can modulate the antioxidant capacity and inflammatory responses of both the mother and offspring by regulating the composition of the intestinal microbiota [36].…”

Effects of dietary fiber in gestating sow diets — A review

“…Leptin is an appetite-suppressing hormone that is secreted after consuming diets and acts on the brain to induce satiety [47]. Sows fed high DF during gestation experienced decreased plasma leptin concentrations before farrowing, which negatively correlated with the feed intake of sows during lactation [43,48]. However, recent research has focused on the effect of long-term DF consumption on serum leptin levels compared to a control diet through a meta-analysis in humans.…”

“…These factors have been used as primary criteria to determine the immune status. The studies reported a positive response in immune status, suggesting that sows fed high DF generate more microbiota-derived SCFA that enhances the barrier function in intestinal epithelial cells [18,48,62]. Enhanced barrier function in the intestine decreases the gut permeability, which leads to the prevention of the inflow of endotoxins.…”

Influence of Foods and Nutrition on the Gut Microbiome and Implications for Intestinal Health

“…While small particles favor the families Ruminococcaceae and Porphyromonadaceae , medium particles favor the family Bacteroidaceae . Similar to maize bran, fine-ground wheat bran (FWB, 438 μm particle size) has higher soluble fiber, swelling capacity, water-holding capacity, and fermentability than coarse wheat bran (CWB, 605 μm particle size) [ 45 ]. When feeding pregnant sows, FWB resulted in a significantly increased abundance of Bacteroidetes and decreased abundance of Firmicutes at the phylum level.…”