Effect of feeding fermentable fiber on synthesis of total and mucosal protein in the intestine of the growing pig

In a previous study, a reduced efficiency of ileal digestible threonine (THR) use for body protein deposition was observed in growing pigs when pectin was included in the diet. This response was not due to increased physical endogenous ileal THR loss. Our aim was to explore the contribution of diet-induced increases in protein synthesis in the colon, especially mucins, to dietary THR requirements. Twelve barrows (21 kg mean BW) were fed either a cornstarch–soybean meal-based diet (Control) or Control with 12% pectin (Pectin). Pigs were given intravenously 1.5 mmol/kg BW of L-1-¹³C valine (40 mol%) to measure fractional and absolute synthesis rates (FSR, ASR, respectively) of mucosal and whole intestinal protein in the jejunum and colon. Dietary pectin inclusion increased plasma levels of glucose, isoleucine and glutamine (P < 0.05) but had no effect on insulin or urea nitrogen (P > 0.10). There were no differences in FSR and ASR of whole intestinal protein in jejunum and colon (P > 0.10). The FSR of mucosal proteins in colon, not in jejunum, was increased with dietary pectin supplementation (P < 0.05). Assuming mucosal protein mass is constant, these results imply that the higher protein synthesis in colon mucosa contributes to the reduced THR efficiency observed in pectin-supplemented diet.