Intestinal permeability to polyethylene glycol 4000 and porcine albumin in piglets infected with transmissible gastroenteritis virus

The intestinal permeability of specific pathogen free piglets has been studied by measuring the concentration of ¹⁴C in the blood after oral administration of ¹⁴C polyethylene glycol (¹⁴C PEG, MW=4000) and the concentration of ¹³¹I in the faeces after intraperitoneal administration of ¹³¹I porcine albumin (¹³¹I PA, MW=68 000). The tests were performed one day before and up to two days after the piglets were infected with transmissible gastroenteritis (TGE) virus.Jejunal biopsies were taken from two piglets before the experimental infection, from two piglets 12 h after the experimental infection and from five piglets at the end of the experiment, 46 h after infection. Blood samples were taken six-hourly and faecal samples several times.Some piglets vomited before diarrhoea and loss of appetite started at 14 h after infection; the packed cell volume decreased before but increased after infection. Morphological examination showed hyperregenerative villous atrophy at 46 h after infection.There was no increase in the permeation of ¹⁴C PEG but there was a significant increase in the flux of ¹³¹I PA from the blood to the gut lumen.     

Intestinal permeability to macromolecules during colibacillosis in piglets

Intestinnal macromolecular permeability to macromolecules was determined in a group of specific pathogen free piglets before and after they were infected experimentally with Escherichia coli. Six hours after the infection all piglets developed a profuse diarrhoea. The urea and total protein concentrations in the serum increased markedly after the onset of diarrhoea. Haemoglobin concentration and PCV decreased steadily during the experiment but blood glucose concentration and lipid composition of the faeces did not change. No structural abnormalities in the jejunal and ileal mucosa were seen. No uptake of macromolecules (40 000 KDa) was found suggesting that molecules with a molecular weight of 40 000 or more do not play a role in the persistent diarrhoea sometimes seen in piglets after colibacillosis.     

Intestinal permeability in pigs during rotavirus infection.

Macromolecular permeability of the small intestine was tested in four 3-week-old gnotobiotic pigs inoculated with porcine rotavirus strain RV277 (group A). Pigs were administered 125I-labeled polyvinylpyrrolidone (molecular weight [mol wt], 40,000) orally 1 day before and 2 and 24 hours after virus inoculation, and blood samples were obtained every 6 hours. Eight hours after rotavirus inoculation, pigs had watery diarrhea. Increased permeation of 125I-labeled polyvinylpyrrolidone was not observed after clinical signs of infection had developed. Serum total protein and urea nitrogen concentrations increased slightly at the end of the study, probably as a consequence of dehydration. Differences in blood glucose concentration were not seen. At 48 hours after viral inoculation, macromolecular permeability was tested morphologically by injecting horseradish peroxidase (mol wt, 40,000) into the jejunal lumen just distally to the ligamentum colicoduodenale. After an incubation period of 20 minutes, small segments of jejunum were obtained for stereomicroscopic, histologic, and ultrastructural investigations. Moderate hyperregenerative villus atrophy was found. Ultrastructural changes of the villus epithelium were minor, and increased macromolecular permeation was not observed.     

Artificial rearing influences the morphology,permeability and redox state of the gastrointestinal tract of low and normal birth weight piglets

Background: In this study the physiological implications of artificial rearing were investigated. Low(LBW) and normal birth weight(NBW) piglets were compared as they might react differently to stressors caused by artificial rearing. In total, 42 pairs of LBW and NBW piglets from 16 litters suckled the sow until d19 of age or were artificially reared starting at d3 until d19 of age. Blood and tissue samples that were collected after euthanasia at 0, 3, 5, 8 and 19 d of age. Histology, ELISA, and Ussing chamber analysis were used to study proximal and distal small intestine histomorphology, proliferation, apoptosis, tight junction protein expression, and permeability. Furthermore, small intestine,liver and systemic redox parameters(GSH, GSSG, GSH-Px and MDA) were investigated using HPLC.Results: LBW and NBW artificially reared piglets weighed respectively 40 and 33% more than LBW and NBW sowreared piglets at d19(P 0.01). Transferring piglets to a nursery at d3 resulted in villus atrophy, increased intestinal FD-4 and HRP permeability and elevated GSSG/GSH ratio in the distal small intestine at d5(P 0.05). GSH concentrations in the proximal small intestine remained stable, while they decreased in the liver(P 0.05). From d5 until d19, villus width and crypt depth increased, whereas PCNA, caspase-3, occludin and claudin-3 protein expressions were reduced. GSH,GSSG and permeability recovered in artificially reared piglets(P 0.05).Conclusion: The results suggest that artificial rearing altered the morphology, permeability and redox state without compromising piglet performance. The observed effects were not depending on birth weight.     

猪德尔塔冠状病毒感染对初生仔猪小肠杯状细胞数量及Hes1和MUC2表达的影响

旨在探讨猪德尔塔冠状病毒(PDCoV)感染仔猪对小肠杯状细胞(goblet cell,GC)的影响,将6头未吃初乳的初生仔猪静养2 d后随机分为感染组(n = 3)和对照组(n=3),感染组仔猪口服接种5 mL 1×105 TCID50·mL-1 PDCoV-CHN-HG-2017毒株,对照组仔猪口服5 mL DMEM...     

Serum biochemical parameters and amino acids metabolism are altered in piglets by early-weaning and proline and putrescine supplementations

The study was to investigate the effect of early-weaning stress and proline (Pro) and putrescine (Put) supplementations on serum biochemical parameters and amino acids (AA) metabolism in suckling and post-weaning pigs. Blood and small intestinal mucosa were harvested from suckling piglets at 1, 7, 14, and 21 d of age and piglets on d 1, 3, 5, and 7 after weaning at 14 d of age, as well as from piglets received oral administration of Pro and Put from 1 to 14 d old. In suckling piglets, the serum glucose, albumin and total cholesterol levels were increased (P < 0.05) with increasing age, whereas the serum globulin, urea nitrogen (BUN), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were lowered (P < 0.05). The concentrations of most serum AA and the AA transporters related gene expressions were highest in 7-d-old piglets (P < 0.05), whereas the phosphorylation status of the mammalian target of the rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in the small intestine increased in piglets from 1 to 21 d old (P < 0.05). Weaning at 14 d old increased (P < 0.05) the BUN and triglycerides levels in serum, as well as jejunal solute carrier family 7 member 6 (SLC7A6), ileal SLC36A1 and SLC1A1 mRNA abundances at d 1 or 3 post-weaning. Weaning also inhibited (P < 0.05) the phosphorylation levels of mTOR and its downstream ribosomal protein S6 kinase 1 (S6K1) and 4E-binding protein-1 (4EBP1) in the small intestine of weanling pigs. Oral administration of Put and Pro decreased (P < 0.05) serum ALP levels and increased (P < 0.05) intestinal SLC36A1 and SLC1A1 mRNA abundances and mTOR pathway phosphorylation levels in post-weaning pigs. Pro but not Put treatment enhanced (P < 0.05) serum Pro, arginine (Arg) and glutamine (Gln) concentrations of weaning-pigs. These findings indicated that early-weaning dramatically altered the biochemical blood metabolites, AA profile and intestinal mTOR pathway activity, and Pro and Put supplementations improved the AA metabolism and transportation as well as activated the intestinal mTOR pathway in weanling-pigs. Our study has an important implication for the broad application of Pro and Put in the weaning transition of piglets.     

Synthesis of nonspecific esterase in small intestine enterocytes during experimental coccidiosis in suckling pigs]

The activity of nonspecific esterase (EC. 3.1.1.1.) was evaluated in the small intestine mucosa of 21 conventional piglets infected on day 5 after parturition (DAP) with oocysts of the Eimeria debliecki coccidium (infection dose of 200,000 oocysts) for this evaluation a microdensitometric analysis at the level of enterocytes was used. The same examination was also performed in the small intestine mucosa of four control conventional piglets at the age of 2-5 days (Tab. I). The synthesis of nonspecific esterase in the experimentally infected piglets was followed on day 1 to day 10 after infection (DAI). The activity of nonspecific esterase in the small intestine mucosa was found to decrease in a direction from duodenum absorption cells (D mean 34.15) to caudal ones (Fig. 1); ileum enterocytes have the optical density of the enzyme by 8.2% lower (D mean 31.38). The deposition of nonspecific esterase is localized mainly in the supranuclear zone of enterocytes while in the para- and infranuclear zones of absorption cells its concentration is only minute. In the experimentally infected piglets a marked increase in the optical density of nonspecific esterase of enterocytes was observed as soon as on day 1 after infection when the enzyme concentration increased by 19.4% (Tab. II). The maximum increase in the activity of nonspecific esterase of absorption cells was recorded on DAI 9 when the enzyme D mean value was higher by 165% in comparison with the activity of nonspecific esterase demonstrated in the control piglets (Fig. 2, 3, 4). But at the end of experimental infection (DAI 10) the total density of nonspecific esterase of enterocytes decreased by 38.2%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Synthesis of glucose-6-phosphatase in small intestine mucosa during experimental coccidiosis in suckling piglets]

Glucoso-6-phosphatase activity (EC. 3.1.3.9.) was evaluated microdensitometrically in the small intestine mucosa of 19 conventional piglets infected with Eimeria debliecki coccidium oocysts (infection dose of 200,000 oocysts) on day 1 after delivery (DAD). The synthesis of the observed hydrolase was followed within days 1 to 10 after infection (DAI). The activity of the same enzyme was also determined in four control conventional piglets at the age of two to five days. The small intestine mucosa of healthy piglets was found to have relatively balanced glucoso-6-phosphatase concentrations in all observed sections (duodenum, middle and posterior jejunum and ileum). The topographic gradient failed to be demonstrated in control piglets. In piglets experimentally infected with E. debliecki coccidium the glucoso-6-phosphatase activity was decreasing during infection already since DAI 1. The enzyme hypoactivity was still lower in the following days and reached the minimum value at the end of the target period (DAI 10), when its value made only 33% of the concentration recorded in the intestine mucosa of control piglets. The topographic predisposition to the lower activity of glucoso-6-phosphatase was not found to be high. The only exception are DAI 6 and 7, when the lowest enzyme concentration was observed in the duodenum mucosa (52% on DAI 6; 54% on DAI 7). The activity of the observed enzyme was higher in the other sections of small intestine (57% on DAI 6; 62% on DAI 7).     

酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂在仔猪体内的药代动力学研究

为研究酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂在仔猪体内的药物动力学特征,采用平行试验设计方法,将12头28日龄健康仔猪随机分为两组,每组6头（公猪）,第1组口服沈阳伟嘉生物技术有限公司的酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂,第2组口服英国伊科拜克动物保健品有限公司的酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂。两组给药剂量相同均为125mg/kg,所有仔猪给药前禁食12h,给药6h后恢复正常饮食。给药后按照预定的采血点采集血样,用液相色谱-质谱法（LC/MS-MS）测定酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂的血浆浓度,用DAS 2.1.1 软件计算药动学参数。结果显示：口服沈阳伟嘉生物技术有限公司的酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂在仔猪体内主要药动学参数如下：平均最高血药浓度（Cmax）为247.3 ng/ml,平均药时曲线下面积（AUC）为1899.0 ng/ml*h,平均达峰时间（Tmax）为1 h;口服英国伊科拜克动物保健品有限公司的酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂主要药动学参数如下：平均最高血药浓度（Cmax）为159.8 ng/ml,平均药时曲线下面积（AUC）为986.0 ng/ml*h,平均达峰时间（Tmax）为1.5 h;结果表明,沈阳伟嘉生物技术有限公司的酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂平均最高血药浓度（Cmax）是参比制剂的1.55倍,平均药时曲线下面积（AUC）是参比制剂的1.93倍,生物利用度是参比制剂的193%;沈阳伟嘉生物技术有限公司的酒石酸泰万菌素预混剂相比参比制剂（英国伊科拜克动物保健品有限公司）具有给药后仔猪体内分布迅速,血药浓度高,药时曲线下面积（AUC）高,生物利用度高,吸收和代谢速度快,药物残留时间短,休药期短,对减少抗生素残留具有重要意义。     

Impact of Yersinia enterocolitica enteritis on disaccharidase activity and small intestinal morphology in colostrum-deprived newborn piglets

The effect of enteritis on the development of the small intestine was examined in newborn, colostrum-deprived piglets infected with a human isolate of Y. enterocolitica (serotype 0:3, biotype 4) soon after birth. The piglets were killed 3 days (n = 6) or 5 days (n = 8) after infection, or antibiotic therapy was commenced on day 5 and the animals killed on day 14 (n = 5). Compared with the non-infected controls, infected animals had reduced mucosal lactase and sucrase, but not maltase activity, while after antibiotic therapy, previously infected piglets had a lower lactase and a higher maltase and sucrase activity. Lactase activity was significantly reduced in the duodenum and jejunum, and mean values were lower in the ileum, but the difference did not reach significance; maltase activity was greater at all ages from the distal jejunum to the mid-ileum; sucrase activity was reduced in all segments up to day 5 but after antibiotic therapy was increased in the jejunum and appeared early in the ileum. Enzyme profiles were more mature along the crypt-villus axis in some segments of the intestine in previously infected piglets. Sodium-potassium-ATPase activity was unchanged. There was a reduced villus height:crypt depth ratio, crypt hyperplasia and increased crypt cell proliferation. Morphological maturation, indicated by loss of vacuoles and location of the nucleus at the base of the enterocyte, proceeded distally from the duodenum to ileum from 3 to 14 days of age when only the ileum remained immature. In infected piglets, there was reduced vacuolation and earlier location of the nucleus at the base of the cell in the distal intestine. Accelerated maturity of specific disaccharidases and enterocyte morphology in infected piglets appears to be due to physical damage to the mucosa resulting in faster proliferation of crypt cells and migration of enterocytes. It is suggested that this may reduce macromolecular internalisation and impair the ability to utilise dietary carbohydrate and may have long-term effects on growth and immunological responses of the gut.     

Effect of feeding 5 per cent glucose solution or milk replacer to newborn piglets on intestinal permeability to macromolecules

Newborn piglets were fed either a 5 per cent glucose/electrolyte solution or a commercial milk replacer for 24 or 36 hours before they were given colostrum, or they were given colostrum after birth. The effects of these treatments on their ability to absorb macromolecules was assessed by measuring the uptake of 125I-polyvinylpyrrolidone (125I-PVP) and the increases in the concentrations of total proteins and immunoglobulins in serum. The piglets which received colostrum at birth absorbed 50 per cent of a test dose of 125I-PVP within six hours, and there was a rapid increase in the concentration of immunoglobulins in their blood. The piglets which received the 5 per cent glucose/electrolyte solution absorbed 40 per cent of the test dose of 125I-PVP administered 24 or 36 hours after birth and nearly normal quantities of immunoglobulins, but the piglets given the milk replacer absorbed only 10 per cent of the test dose of 125I-PVP, and virtually no immunoglobulins.     

Passive protection against porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus in piglets by colostrum from immunized cows.

The effects of hyperimmune cow colostrum (HCC) on experimentally induced porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) were investigated in piglets. In experiment 1, four 2-day-old piglets fed HCC containing an antibody titer of 1:512 and another four piglets fed unimmune cow colostrum (UCC) were orally inoculated with 10LD50 of PED virus. The piglets were given colostrum three times a day at 4 hr intervals. Half of the piglets fed HCC showed diarrhea and recovered, and all piglets survived. In contrast, all piglets fed UCC developed diarrhea and three of them died. In experiment 2, 2-day-old piglets fed HCC containing antibody titers of 1:512, 1:128 and 1:32, and UCC were inoculated with PED virus, and survival rates after challenge were 100, 75, 50 and 0 %, respectively. In experiment 3, 1-day-old piglets fed HCC with 1:512 antibody titer or UCC were inoculated and necropsied at 24, 48 and 72 hr after the inoculation for pathological examination. Piglets fed HCC remained healthy and PED virus antigen was not detected in the epithelial cells of the small intestine, and the length of the villi in small intestine was normal. On the other hand, in piglets fed UCC, villous atrophy and PED virus antigen were observed in epithelial cells of the jejunum and ileum from 24 hr. It was concluded that oral administration of HCC to piglets was effective in preventing PED virus infection and reduced their mortality.     

饲粮纤维源对仔猪生长性能、肠道发育及其消化酶活性的影响

通过检测饲粮中添加不同来源的纤维对猪生长性能、肠道发育及其消化酶活性的影响,初步探讨饲粮纤维源调控仔猪肠道健康的可能机制。试验共选取健康状况良好、体重均一[(9.26±0.17) kg]的仔猪840头(杜×长×大;32日龄),随机分为3个处理组:对照组(control group, CG),苜蓿草粉组(alfalfa meal group, AG),商品浓缩纤维组(commodity concentrated fiber, OG),每个处理4个重复,每个重复70头仔猪。预试期3 d,试验于35日龄开始,60日龄结束时屠宰取样,测量肠道重量及长度,观察小肠段绒毛形态结构并测定消化酶活性。结果发现,AG较CG显著降低仔猪的腹泻率(P<0.05),但对仔猪平均日增重、平均日采食量、料肉比均无显著影响(P>0.05);AG、OG较CG显著提高仔猪的大肠段长度和重量(P<0.05);AG较CG改善了空肠的绒毛高度及绒隐比(P>0.05),AG较OG显著提高了空肠的绒毛高度及绒隐比(P<0.05),OG较CG显著提高了回肠的绒毛高度(P<0.05);OG较CG显著降低了空肠中淀粉酶活性(P<0.05),AG较CG、OG显著提高了糜蛋白酶活性(P<0.05)。结果表明,饲粮中添加适量的苜蓿草粉可以促进仔猪的肠道发育,降低仔猪腹泻率,从而有利于仔猪生长发育。     

Lysosomal activity in enterocytes in the small intestine in piglets experimentally infected with Isospora suis

The lysosomal activity of enterocytes of the small intestine mucosa was investigated in gnotobiotic and conventional piglets experimentally infected on the first day after birth (DAB) by the oocysts of the coccidia Isospora suis. A method of the proof of beta-D-glucuronidase (EC.3.2.1.31.) activity was used to demonstrate lysosomes. The piglets were infected by different infection doses of oocysts (100,000 oocysts in gnotobiotic piglets and 200,000 oocysts in conventional piglets). In the gnotobiotic infected piglets the activity of beta-D-glucuronidase in enterocyte lysosomes was investigated in the period from day 3 to day 11 after infection (DAI) and in the infected conventional piglets in the period from day 2 to day 10 after infection. Comparing the control piglets, the group of gnotobiotic piglets at the age of 2-5 days and the group of conventional piglets at the age of 4-7 days, the higher activity of beta-D-glucuronidase was demonstrated in the lysosomes of intestinal mucosa enterocytes in the gnotobiotic control piglets (+5.30 of the average density value, Dx). In the infected gnotobiotic and conventional piglets the pattern of beta-D-glucuronidase activity was found to have three stages in the course of this infection. Two stages can be characterized by a great increase in the enzyme activity (DAI 3-9 in gnotobiotic piglets, DAI 2-3 and 7-9 in conventional piglets. The third stage, which is manifest mainly in the conventional infected piglets, is characterized by a marked decrease in the activity of beta-D-glucuronidase, reaching the level of control findings (DAI 10 and mainly 11 in gnotobiotic piglets. DAI 4-6 and 10 in conventional piglets). A topographical picture shows that the two stages of increase and the stage of beta-D-glucuronidase activity decrease occur in the whole small intestine without any predisposition defect of the enzyme in the different sections of the small intestine.     

Recombinant human thyrotropin administration enhances thyroid uptake of radioactive iodine in hyperthyroid cats

BACKGROUND: Hyperthyroidism is the most diagnosed endocrine disorder in cats and radioiodine (131I) is the treatment of choice. The dose emission rate and radioactivity in urine, saliva, and on hair and paws are determined by the dose of administered 131I. A dose reduction of therapeutic 131I could possibly be achieved after recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) administration as in humans with nodular goiter. HYPOTHESIS: rhTSH will increase radioiodine uptake in hyperthyroid cats. ANIMALS: Five hyperthyroid cats. METHODS: Twenty-five micrograms rhTSH (day 1) or 2 mL 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl) (day 9) was injected IV. One hour later, 11.4 +/- 4.1 (mean +/- SD) MBq 123I was injected IV. Radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU) was measured 6, 12, and 24 hours after rhTSH (RAIU-rhTSH) or NaCl (RAIU-blanco) injection. Blood samples for measurement of TT4 were taken before injection of rhTSH or NaCl (TT4(0)) and at the time of imaging. RESULTS: Percentages of RAIU-rhTSH (and RAIU-blanco) at 6, 12, and 24 hours after administration of rhTSH were 34 +/- 18 (31 +/- 21), 46 +/- 20 (38 +/- 18), and 47 +/- 15 (36 +/- 14). There was a statistically significant effect of rhTSH administration on RAIU (P = .043) but not on serum TT4 concentration. Baseline serum TT4(0) concentration influenced RAIU-rhTSH significantly at 6 hours (P = .037). CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE: The increased RAIU observed after rhTSH administration in hyperthyroid cats could lead to a lower therapeutic dose of 131I after rhTSH administration in hyperthyroid cats and decreased risk of environmental and owner contamination during and after hospitalization.     

Dietary dihydroartemisinin supplementation alleviates intestinal inflammatory injury through TLR4/NOD/NF-κB signaling pathway in weaned piglets with intrauterine growth retardation

The aim of present study was to evaluate whether diets supplemented with dihydroartemisinin (DHA) could alleviate intestinal inflammatory injury in weaned piglets with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR). Twelve normal birth weight (NBW) piglets and 12 piglets with IUGR were fed a basal diet (NBW-CON and IUCR-CON groups), and another 12 piglets with IUGR were fed the basal diet supplemented with DHA at 80 mg/kg (IUGR-DHA group) from 21 to 49 d of age. At 49 d of age, 8 piglets with similar body weight in each group were sacrificed. The jejunal and ileal samples were collected for further analysis. The results showed that IUGR impaired intestinal morphology, increased intestinal inflammatory response, raised enterocyte apoptosis and reduced enterocyte proliferation and activated transmembrane toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain (NOD)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. Dihydroartemisinin inclusion ameliorated intestinal morphology, indicated by increased villus height, villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, villus surface area and decreased villus width of piglets with IUGR (P < 0.05). Compared with NBW piglets, IUGR piglets supplemented with DHA exhibited higher apoptosis index and caspase-3 expression, and lower proliferation index and proliferating cell nuclear antigen expression in the intestine (P < 0.05). Dihydroartemisinin supplementation attenuated the intestinal inflammation of piglets with IUGR, indicated by increased concentrations of intestinal inflammatory cytokines and lipopolysaccharides (P < 0.05). In addition, DHA supplementation down-regulated the related mRNA expressions of TLR4/NOD/NF-κB signaling pathway and upregulated mRNA expressions of negative regulators of TLR4 and NOD signaling pathway in the intestine of piglets with IUGR (P < 0.05). Piglets in the IUGR-DHA group showed lower protein expressions of TLR4, phosphorylated NF-κB (pNF-κB) inhibitor α, nuclear pNF-κB, and higher protein expression of cytoplasmic pNF-κB in the intestine than those in the IUGR-CON group (P < 0.05). In conclusion, DHA supplementation could improve intestinal morphology, regulate enterocyte proliferation and apoptosis, and alleviate intestinal inflammation through TLR4/NOD/NF-κB signaling pathway in weaned piglets with IUGR.     

Enteral exposure to crude red kidney bean lectin induces maturation of the gut in suckling pigs.

The present investigation characterized the effect of red kidney bean lectin exposure on gut maturation and function in young piglets. Eleven suckling pigs were given by stomach tube a crude red kidney bean lectin preparation (containing about 25% lectin, 400 mg/kg BW) (lectin-treated pigs) at 10, 11, and 12 d of life, and an additional 16 pigs (control pigs) were given saline instead. On the next day, the intestinal absorptive capacity was determined in vivo, and on the 14th d of life the piglets were killed and organs and small intestine samples were collected for analyses and in vitro permeability experiments. The lectin-treated pigs showed an increase in stomach weights and mucosa thickness, whereas no weight effect was found for the small intestine, spleen, liver, or adrenals. Morphometric analyses of the small intestine in lectin-treated pigs showed a decrease in villus heights, an increase in crypt depths and crypt cell mitotic indices, and fewer vacuolated enterocytes per villus and reduced vacuole size. Lectin treatment also resulted in a decrease in the absorption of different-sized marker molecules after gavage feeding, a decrease in intestinal marker permeability, and a change in small intestinal disaccharidase activities, with increased maltase and sucrase activities. The size of the pancreatic acini was also greater in the lectin-treated pigs, but no increases in enzyme content or pancreatic weight could be determined. In addition, the blood plasma levels of cholecystokinin were higher in the lectin-treated than in the control pigs. The results indicate that exposure to crude red kidney bean lectin induces structural and functional maturation of the gut and pancreatic growth in young suckling piglets. This possibility of inducing gut maturation may lead to an improvement in the piglets' ability to adapt to weaning and to an increase in the growth and health of these animals.     

The effect of stress on blood levels of vitamin A and E in piglets

In five trials with 99 suckling or weaned piglets, the effects of the increased adrenocortical function, caused by cold, weaning from the sow or fasting or by stimulation with exogenous adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) were studied as exerted on vitamin A and vitamin E concentrations in the blood serum. Three hours after an exposure of three-day and four-day piglets to the temperature of 8-12 degrees C, a small drop of the concentrations of both vitamins occurred. In four-week weanling piglets a decrease in vitamin E concentration was observed in two days, the trend being slight in vitamin A concentration. At the same time some sibs were left fasting, which considerably reduced the concentrations of both vitamins. The situation was similar in two hours after ACTH administration to suckling piglets, however the difference was insignificant in vitamin E concentrations. In seventeen hours elapsing from two administrations of the adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) when the increased secretion of corticosteroids was fading out, only the vitamin A concentration in suckling piglets was found to drop. The response in weanling piglets was negligible. The suppressive effects of stress on vitamin A concentrations were usually observed when the levels of circulating corticosteroids were high or in the period immediately following this status. The changes in nutrition after early weaning exert large negative effects on vitamin E concentrations in the blood serum. The differences in the response of the organism to the two vitamins may be due to various types of transport mechanisms in the blood circulation. The specific effects of stress factors are mentioned.     

Dehydrogenase activity in small intestine mucosa in experimental coccidiosis in suckling pigs]

The activities of 3-beta-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (EC. 1.1.1.30.; HBD) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (EC. 1.1.1.41; ICD) were evaluated microdensitometrically in the mucosa of duodenum, jejunum and ileum of 19 conventional piglets infected on the first day after parturition (DAP) with oocysts of Eimeria debliecki coccidium (infection dose of 200,000 oocysts). The two investigated enzymes are deposited in mitochondria which are dispersed in the supra-, para- and infranuclear region of absorption cells (Fig. 1). The synthesis of the two dehydrogenases was investigated in the small intestine mucosa in the period of 1st to 10th day after infection (DAI). The HBD and ICD activities were also followed in the small intestine of four control conventional piglets at the age of 2-5 days (Tab. I). The two dehydrogenases could be characterized by a topographic gradient; it means that their activity was increasing in the small intestine mucosa through duodenum in an aboral direction. The ICD activity is higher in the intestinal mucosa of healthy piglets (Figs. 2 and 3), where its topic concentration was more marked while the HBD activity is dispersed in enterocytes (Fig. 4). In infected piglets the density of the two enzymes was demonstrated to decrease already in the starting period of experimental infection, and it reaches the lowest values for the first time on DAI 5-6 (Fig. 5, Tab. II), then on DAIs 9 (HBD; Fig. 6, graph 11)) or 8 (ICD, Fig. 7 and 10). In the period of experimental infection no statistically significant predisposition to the hypoactivity of target dehydrogenases nor its marked shift were observed. Somewhat rapid resumption of synthesis was demonstrated as soon as on DAI 8 in ICD (Fig. 8); its activity on DAI 10 in the intestinal mucosa corresponded to the 93% activity of this dehydrogenase recorded in the small intestine of control piglets. The density of HBD to the same day (DAI 10) reached in the intestinal mucosa of infected piglets the values making only 44.7% of those demonstrated in the intestinal mucosa of the control group of animals.     

Effects of different growth rates in weaned piglets, starvation and hormonal action, on various metabolic parameters in the blood plasma]

Changes in concentrations of metabolites of the main nutrients in the blood plasma, caused by weaning and by different body weight gains, by starvation, exogenous adrenaline and ASTH administration were studied in 141 weaned piglets of the Large White breed at an age of 26 to 69 days. After weaning, the total protein level showed a faster decrease in the intensively growing piglets than in those with lower growth rates. This rapid decrease was induced by adrenaline. The post-weaning levels of glucose decreased irrespective of the growth rate of the piglets. Adrenaline caused hyperglycaemia and, after 48 hours of starvation, hypoglycaemia. Urea levels significantly increased after weaning. During starvation they remained unchanged, even under exposure to hormonal effects. Cholesterol concentration decreased after weaning, after ACTH and adrenaline administration also showed a decrease. The concentration of non-esterified fatty acids decreased after weaning, the decrease being more pronounced in the piglets with less intensive growth. The action of adrenaline, ACTH, together with an increased level of glucocorticoids, increased the concentration of these acids even in the state of starvation. It is assumed that early piglet weaning implies great metabolic changes which need not impair growth if their character is transient. The author evaluates the suitability of the starter used and parameters chosen for the determination of the metabolic profile of pigs.