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Article

Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 Improved Antioxidant and Immune Function of Weaned Piglets

1
School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest University of Science and Technology, Mianyang 621010, China
2
Yibin Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yibin 644000, China
3
Livestock and Poultry Biological Products Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Animtech Feed Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610066, China
4
Chongqing Academy of Animal Science, Chongqing 402460, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2023, 13(10), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101595
Submission received: 4 April 2023 / Revised: 4 May 2023 / Accepted: 8 May 2023 / Published: 10 May 2023
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Antioxidants, Nutraceuticals, and Functional Food in Animals)

Abstract

:

Simple Summary

In this study, we investigated the immune and antioxidant properties of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 in weaned pigs. We found that dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 can effectively improve growth performance, enhance immune function, and improve the antioxidant performance of weaned pigs. The results of this study provide a feasible nutritional means to solve the weaning stress of piglets effectively.

Abstract

We investigated the effects of dietary supplementation of lactic acid bacteria on the immune and antioxidant performance of weaned pigs. A total of 128 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets weaned on day 28 with an average body weight of 8.95 ± 1.15 kg were selected and randomly divided into four treatment groups according to body weight and sex for a 28-day study. The four dietary treatments were basal diet (CON), and CON with 0.05% (LJ0.05), 0.1% (LJ0.1), and 0.2% (LJ0.2) Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7, respectively. The lowest feed-to-gain ratio (F:G) was found when LJ0.1 was added to the diet. The addition of compound lactic acid bacteria to the diet increased the concentrations of TP, ALB, IgA, and IgM on day 14 and IgG, IgA, and IgM on day 28 (p < 0.05) in the blood, with trait values greater for pigs fed LJ0.1 than CON pigs (p < 0.05). Concentrations of antioxidants (CAT, T-AOC, MDA, T-SOD, and GSH) in serum, intestinal mucosa, spleen, liver, and pancreas improved. In summary, dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 improved the antioxidant and immune function of weaned piglets.

1. Introduction

In recent years, with the concern about antibiotic residues in animal products and bacterial antibiotic resistance, there is an urgent need to develop and research safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics. Adding probiotics to replace antibiotics has received widespread attention [1]. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB), as a kind of common and safe probiotic, has also been widely discussed [2].
LAB belong to gram-positive bacteria, which are arranged in single, double, or short chains, mainly including Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Leuconostoc, Bifidobacterium, Pediococcus, and Enterococcus [3,4]. Preliminary studies have shown that LAB can effectively improve growth performance, feed conversion efficiency, nutrient utilization, immune function, and intestinal health of pigs [5,6,7,8,9]. Previous research on the replacement of antibiotics by LAB mainly focused on the impact on immune function [10]. Few studies have focused on the effects of LAB on antioxidant indicators [11,12]. However, pigs are faced with environmental, nutrition, and weaning pressures at all stages of growth at present [13]. The proportion of economic loss caused by weaning stress syndrome has become the main loss in the breeding process. Oxidative stress impairs tissue function, which may be an important cause of reduced growth performance and economic losses in weaning stress syndrome [14]. Therefore, research on improving piglets’ antioxidant capacity is valuable.
Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7, one type of LAB, was isolated from pig feces by the self-built method in our laboratory. We wanted to pay more attention to the effect of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on the antioxidant index of weaned piglets as we observed similar effects in a previous pilot experiment. There was no report about the effect of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on the antioxidant performance of weaned piglets. Therefore, this experiment explored the effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on the immune function and antioxidant capacity of weaned piglets.

2. Materials and Methods

2.1. Experiment Design and Animals

A total of one hundred and twenty-eight Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets weaned at 28 d with an initial body weight (BW) of 8.95 ± 1.15 kg were randomly divided into four treatment groups according to BW and sex. There were eight replicates per treatment group and four weaned piglets (two barrows and two gilts) per replicate (pen). The four dietary treatments were basal diet (CON), and CON with 0.05% (LJ0.05), 0.1% (LJ0.1), and 0.2% (LJ0.2) Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7, respectively. The concentration of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 used in this study was 1 × 107 cfu/g. This strain was identified after the laboratory independently extracted it from pig feces. Diet nutrient requirements are configured according to national research council (2012) recommendations and diet in powder form (Table 1) [15]. Each treatment group was fed ad libitum for 28 days. Pigs had free access to water at all times. There was a plastic leaky floor and a separate chute and automatic nipple drinker in each pen. The relative humidity in the pig house was controlled at 50–60%. The temperature of the pig house was gradually reduced from 28 °C to 23 °C.

2.2. Growth Performance and Sample Collection

BW was measured at 8 am on days 1, 14, and 28. Feed intake was recorded in pens every day during the experiment period. At 7:00 am on days 14 and 28, one pig was randomly selected from each pen (male to female ratio in each treatment was 1:1), and blood was collected from the portal vein precaval and placed in a vacuum blood collection tube without anticoagulant. Blood samples were centrifuged at 4 °C, 3500× g for 10 min to obtain serum for the determination of immune parameters and antioxidant status. After the BW was measured on day 28, one piglet (total 32) was selected from each pen (the ratio of male to female in each treatment was 1:1) was slaughtered and the mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and spleen, liver, and pancreas samples were collected and temporarily stored in liquid nitrogen and then transferred to −80 °C for storage to measure antioxidant status.

2.3. Immune Function

The total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) contents in serum were determined by using an automatic biochemical analyzer (Hitachi 7160, Tokyo, Japan). Use an ELISA kit for immunoglobulin A (IgA) (eBioScience, San Diego, CA, USA) to detect the IgA content in serum according to the instructions. Use a microplate reader to measure the absorbance at 450 nm and calculate the IgA concentration through the standard curve.

2.4. Antioxidant Index

TP, glutathione (GSH), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), malondialdehyde (MDA), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) indicators in serum and tissue were measured by spectrophotometer. All tissue samples (the mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, and spleen, liver, pancreas) were homogenized with cold saline at a ratio of 1:10 (w:v) in a glass homogenizer. All kits used were purchased from Nanjing Jiancheng Bioengineering Institute (Nanjing, China). All samples were counted on a spectrophotometer after being operated according to the instructions of the kit. The total protein assay kit (with standard: BCA method) (A045-3-1) was used for the determination of TP content at 562 nm. A GSH assay kit (spectrophotometric method) (A005-1-2) was used for the determination of GSH content at 420 nm. A catalase (CAT) assay kit (Visible light) (A007-1-1) was used for the determination of CAT content at 405 nm. A total antioxidant capacity assay kit (A015-1-2) was used for the determination of T-AOC content at 520 nm. A malondialdehyde (MDA) assay kit (TBA method) (A003-1-1) was used for the determination of MDA content at 532 nm.

2.5. Statistical Analysis

Data were analyzed by ANOVA using the GLM procedure of SAS 9.4 for a randomized complete block design evaluating the level of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 added to the diet. The dose-response effect of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 was computed using orthogonal polynomial contrasts to evaluate linear and quadratic effects. A post-hoc test was used to compare the control group (0% Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7) versus Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 added to the diet. For all response criteria, the pen served as the experimental unit. p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

3. Results

3.1. Growth Performance

There were linear increases in final body weight (FBW, day 28), average daily feed intake (ADFI) (day 15–28 and day 1–28) and linear and quadratic increases in average daily weight gain (ADG) (day 15–28 and day 1–28) as the amounts of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased (Table 2; p < 0.05). Compared to the CON and LJ0.5, the FBW was higher when LJ0.1 was added (p < 0.05). Linear decreases in F:G (Day 15–28 and Day 1–28) were present as the amounts of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased (p < 0.05), and the lowest F:G was found when LJ0.1 was added to the diet.

3.2. Immune Function

The addition of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the diet increased the concentrations of TP, ALB, IgA, and IgM on day 14 and IgG, IgA, and IgM on day 28 (p < 0.05) in the blood, with trait values greater for pigs fed LJ0.1 than CON pigs (Table 3; p< 0.05). There was a linear (p < 0.05) increase but no quadratic change in the above indicators as the amounts of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased.

3.3. Antioxidants in Serum

On day 28, concentrations of antioxidants (CAT, T-AOC, MDA, T-SOD, and GSH) in serum increased (p < 0.05) with the addition of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7, along with a linear increase (p < 0.05) as the amount of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased. When LJ0.1 was added to the diet, the concentrations of CAT and T-SOD in serum were closer to the maximum (Table 4). With the increase in the amount of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 added, the antioxidant indexes in the serum did not show quadratic changes (p > 0.05).

3.4. Antioxidants in the Intestinal Mucosa

There were linear increases in the concentrations of CAT, T-AOC, T-SOD, and GSH and a linear decrease in the concentration of MDA in intestinal mucosa as the amounts of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased (Table 5; p < 0.05). In duodenal mucosa, the addition of LJ0.1 increased the concentrations of T-AOC and GSH compared to CON (p < 0.05). When LJ0.1 or LJ0.2 was added to the diet, the concentrations of T-AOC in jejunal mucosa and CAT, T-SOD, and GSH in ileal mucosa were higher than those of CON (p < 0.05), while the concentration of MDA was lower than that of CON (p < 0.05). There was a quadratic decrease in the concentrations of MDA in the ileal mucosa as the amounts of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased (p < 0.05).

3.5. Antioxidants in the Spleen, Liver, and Pancreas

There were linear increases in the concentrations of CAT, T-AOC, T-SOD, and GSH and linear decreases in the concentration of MDA in the spleen, liver, and pancreas as the amounts of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased (Table 6; p < 0.05). Concentrations of CAT, T-AOC, T-SOD, and GSH in the spleen and liver, T-SOD, and GSH in the pancreas further increased when the dietary inclusion rate for Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased from 0% to 0.2%. When LJ0.1 was added to the diet, the concentration of T-AOC in the pancreas was higher than that of CON (p < 0.05). With the increase in the amount of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 added, the antioxidant indexes in the spleen, liver, and pancreas did not show quadratic changes (p > 0.05).

4. Discussion

Weaning stress syndrome is a major challenge for piglets during weaning which may trigger an imbalance in gut health, damage tissues, cause diarrhea, and reduce growth performance [13,16]. It was previously found that oxidative stress caused by weaning stress syndrome may be the main reason for the reduction of economic benefits because the excessive oxidative free radicals produced by it can damage deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and protein and tissue function [17]. So, it is very important to improve the antioxidant status of piglets and relieve oxidative stress. Previous studies have shown that adding probiotics can effectively improve the antioxidant status of pigs or other animals [12,18,19,20,21]. However, the effect of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on the antioxidant status of weaned piglets has not been reported. We studied the growth performance, immune function, and antioxidant status of weaned piglets by adding Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the diet and found that it can effectively improve growth performance (ADFI and ADG), enhance immune function, and improve antioxidant status.
Growth performance is an important economic indicator. The growth performance of pigs is affected by factors such as the environment of the pig house, feeding conditions, and nutritional composition of the diet [22,23,24]. This study found linear increases in FBW (day 28), ADFI (day 15–28 and day 1–28), and ADG (day 15–28 and day 1–28) as the amounts of dietary Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased. Similar results that probiotics and LAB improved growth performance have been found in other studies [25,26,27]. Feeding compound probiotics (Bacillus subtilis endospore and Clostridium butyricum endospore complex) can increase the ADG and G: F of growing and finishing pigs effectively. Feeding Lactobacillus complex (Lactobacillus reuteri ZJ625, Lactobacillus reuteri VB4, Lactobacillus salivarius ZJ614, and Streptococcus salivarius NBRC13956) to weaned piglets can improve ADG and feed conversion ratio effectively. Feeding compound probiotics (Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum, and Enterococcus faecium) to weaned piglets can increase ADG and FBW effectively. In addition, the current study also found that feeding Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 did not affect the growth performance of weaned piglets during the period days 0–14. This was probably because the replacement of intestinal flora was a long process, which required a long-term supply of corresponding probiotics to exert its effect. Our experimental results also showed that probiotics were more effective during days 15–28. The LJ0.1 group had higher FBW and ADG and lower F:G compared with the control group or LJ0.05. In addition, although ADG and F:G from days 15 to 28 changed linearly and quadratically, the index of LJ0.1 was better than that of LJ0.2. Likewise, we observed similar results for immune function and antioxidant indices. The above results indicated that the excessive addition of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 did not lead to better growth performance.
Immunoglobulin mainly includes IgA, IgM, IgG, immunoglobulin E (IgE), and Immunoglobulin D (IgD), among which IgA is mainly divided into serotype and secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA), which can reduce the adhesion rate of pathogenic bacteria, anti-inflammation, and anti-infection; IgG has the functions of antibacterial, antiviral, and immune regulation; IgE is related to allergy, and has a high affinity for basophils and mast cells [28,29]. After weaning, piglets were affected by weaning stress, which destroyed the balance of the original intestinal flora and reduced the immune function of piglets. Preliminary studies have shown that adding Lactobacillus fermentum I5007 to the diet can significantly increase the content of IgM, IgG, and IgA in the blood of piglets, and supplementation of Lactobacillus plantarum and fructooligosaccharides in weaned piglets’ diet can significantly increase serum IgG and IgA levels. Our study also found that the addition of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 (CON vs. LAB) to the diet increased the concentrations of TP, ALB, IgA and IgM on day 14 and IgG, IgA, and IgM on day 28. In addition, as the amount of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 increased, the concentration of TP, ALB, IgA, and IgM on day 14 and IgG, IgA, and IgM on day 28 showed a linear change without a quadratic change. The results showed that the indicators of linear change in the LJ0.1 group were better than those in other treatment groups. In addition, from our results, it can be seen that the immune function of weaned piglets was improved by day 14, but no improvement in growth performance was shown. The reason for the above may be that the positive effect of immune repair may repair the effects of weaning stress to a certain extent, but it has not achieved a significant effect. Therefore, it was shown that dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 can improve the immune status of piglets and prevent oxidative stress.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) lead to oxidative stress, which in turn produces tissue function damage [14]. In the enzymatic antioxidant system, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase can eliminate excessive oxidative free radicals through biochemical reactions to achieve detoxification [17,30]. SOD and GSH work together to detoxify superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide in cells [30]. CAT performs the same function as GSH. T-AOC can reflect the ability of a non-enzymatic antioxidant defense system [31]. MDA, the main product of lipid peroxidation, reflects oxidative stress levels [30]. In our study, we collected serum, intestinal mucosa, spleen, liver, and pancreas samples and analyzed the contents of CAT, T-AOC, T-SOD, GSH, and MDA. In the serum samples, we found that the levels of CAT, T-AOC, TSOD, and GSH increased linearly and the levels of MDA decreased linearly with the increase of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 content in the diet. In addition, similar trends to the above results were also found in intestinal mucosa and visceral tissues. In studies in sows and lambs, an increase in TAOC was also found with the addition of probiotics [32,33]. The above results show that the addition of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 can improve the antioxidant status of the whole body, reduce lipid peroxidation, and enhance the responsiveness of the antioxidant defense system effectively.

5. Conclusions

The current research has proved that dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 can increase the ADFI and ADG of weaned piglets and improve the F:G effectively. In addition, adding Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the diet can also enhance the immune function and antioxidant status of weaned pigs. Specifically, 0.1% (1 × 107 cfu/g) was recommended as the optimal level.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, K.Z. and J.L.; methodology, K.Z., H.Y. (Honglin Yan) and J.L.; validation, H.Y. (Heng Yin), Q.W. and K.Z.; formal analysis, W.T. and H.D.; writing—original draft preparation, K.Z.; writing—review and editing, K.Z., R.Q. and J.L.; project administration, K.Z. and J.L. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the National Center of Technology Innovation for Pigs, grant number NCTIP-XD/B04.

Institutional Review Board Statement

The animal study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of the Southwest University of Science and Technology (protocol code SM20220288 and 6 September 2022).

Informed Consent Statement

Not applicable.

Data Availability Statement

Data will be made available upon reasonable request.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors have read the journal’s guideline and have the following competing interests: the co-authors (W.T., H.D.) are employees of Sichuan Animtech Feed company that partially in formal analysis. The other authors have no competing interests.

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Table 1. Basal diet composition and nutritional level.
Table 1. Basal diet composition and nutritional level.
Ingredients, g/kg
Extruded corn23.20
Wheat24.00
Extruded soybean (38% CP)14.00
Soybean meal (42% CP)5.00
Spray-dried whey (12% CP)7.00
Fish meal (59% CP)4.50
Soya protein concentrate (65% CP)5.00
Soya oil4.00
Limestone0.60
Monocalcium phosphate0.60
L-Lys·HCl0.20
Nacl0.30
Choline chloride0.10
Vitamin premix a0.50
Mineral premix b1.00
Total100.00
Calculated nutrients, %
ME, MJ/kg14.15
CP19.90
Total Lys1.43
Total Met0.39
Ca0.77
Available P0.46
a Provided per kg of mixed diet: vitamin A, 12,000 IU/kg; vitamin D3, 3,200 IU/kg; vitamin K3, 2.5 mg; vitamin E, 80 mg; vitamin B1, 2.5 mg; vitamin B2, 6.5 mg; vitamin B6, 5 mg; vitamin B12, 0.05 mg; niacin, 45 mg; and D-pantothenic acid, 20 mg. b Provided per kg of mixed diet: folic acid, 1.5 mg; biotin, 0.15 mg; Fe, 150 mg as ferrous sulfate; Cu, 125 mg as copper sulfate; Zn, 200 mg as zinc oxide; Mn, 30 mg as manganous oxide; I, 0.3 mg as potassium iodide; and Se, 0.3 mg as selenium selenite.
Table 2. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on growth performance of weaned piglets.
Table 2. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on growth performance of weaned piglets.
ItemsCONLJ0.05LJ0.1LJ0.2SEMp-Value
CON vs. LJLinearQuadratic
Initial body weight, kg9.008.938.948.940.2400.8050.8550.883
Day 14 body weight, kg14.2114.2614.4814.350.3160.6750.5620.835
Day 28 body weight, kg19.94 b20.04 b21.29 a21.11 ab0.3440.0520.0100.183
Average daily feed intake, g
Day 1–14533.2559.3560.6549.915.40.1860.2200.517
Day 15–28619.6626.6690.1697.820.60.0530.0220.270
Day 1–28576.4592.9625.5623.912.80.0200.0120.616
Average daily weight gain, g
Day 1–14372.3381.3395.5386.68.480.1210.0630.798
Day 15–28408.9 b412.5 b486.6 a483.0 a12.40.0090.0010.027
Day 1–28390.6 b396.9 b441.1 a434.8 a6.490.0020.0010.024
Feed to gain ratio
Day 1–141.431.471.421.420.0310.9180.8040.304
Day 15–281.52 a1.52 a1.42 b1.44 ab0.0230.0760.0070.086
Day 1–281.48 ab1.49 a1.42 b1.43 ab0.0170.2400.0250.032
Note: CON, basal diet; LJ0.05, LJ0.1, and LJ0.2, add 0.05% (LJ0.05), 0.1% (LJ0.1), and 0.2% (LJ0.2) Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the basal diet. a,b Means in the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (p < 0.05).
Table 3. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on immune function of weaned piglets.
Table 3. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on immune function of weaned piglets.
Items, g/LCONLJ0.05LJ0.1LJ0.2SEMp-Value
CON vs. LJLinearQuadratic
Day 14
TP50.55 b52.60 b55.28 a55.35 a0.6530.0010.0010.698
ALB26.8428.4129.0529.130.6580.0110.0250.566
IgG7.448.138.488.450.4100.0570.0850.739
IgA1.19 b1.26 b1.66 a1.54 ab0.0940.0190.0010.170
IgM0.74 b0.83 ab1.02 a0.93 ab0.0560.0100.0010.458
Day 28
TP55.9956.1958.5858.960.9680.1190.0690.323
ALB24.6525.3626.4026.340.6650.0790.0730.843
IgG7.367.648.798.380.3630.0480.0100.333
IgA1.02 b1.13 ab1.27 a1.26 a0.0560.0050.0040.878
IgM0.77 b0.88 ab1.12 a1.13 a0.0740.0050.0020516
Note: CON, basal diet; LJ0.05, LJ0.1, and LJ0.2, add 0.05% (LJ0.05), 0.1% (LJ0.1), and 0.2% (LJ0.2) Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the basal diet; TP, total protein; ALB, albumin; IgG, immunoglobulin G; IgM, immunoglobulin M; IgA, immunoglobulin A. a,b Means in the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (p < 0.05).
Table 4. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on antioxidant in serum of weaned piglets.
Table 4. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on antioxidant in serum of weaned piglets.
ItemsCONLJ0.05LJ0.1LJ0.2SEMp-Value
CON vs. LJLinearQuadratic
Day 14
CAT, U/mL18.6419.5820.8320.550.6380.0300.0220.843
T-AOC, U/mL2.502.633.012.980.1660.0680.0380.524
MDA, nmol/mL4.364.172.843.150.4080.0590.0120.249
T-SOD, U/mL17.7518.2518.2818.210.3920.2670.3530.626
GSH, mgGSH/L3.714.064.364.330.4210.2640.2840.962
Day 28
CAT, U/mL16.95 b17.14 ab18.73 a18.60 ab0.4390.0390.0080.204
T-AOC, U/mL2.352.633.093.100.2140.0270.0220.723
MDA, nmol/mL4.133.712.922.980.3390.0280.0180.659
T-SOD, U/mL16.16 b16.49 b17.96 a17.29 ab0.3620.0270.0020.201
GSH, mgGSH/L3.634.114.944.760.3530.0250.0140.700
Note: CON, basal diet; LJ0.05, LJ0.1, and LJ0.2, add 0.05% (LJ0.05), 0.1% (LJ0.1), and 0.2% (LJ0.2) Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the basal diet; CAT, catalase; T-AOC, total antioxidant capacity; MDA, malondialdehyde; T-SOD, total superoxide dismutase; GSH, glutathione. a,b Means in the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (p < 0.05).
Table 5. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on antioxidant in the intestinal mucosa of weaned piglets.
Table 5. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on antioxidant in the intestinal mucosa of weaned piglets.
ItemsCONLJ0.05LJ0.1LJ0.2SEMp-Value
CON vs. LJLinearQuadratic
Duodenal mucosa
CAT, U/gprot14.1414.8018.0517.831.320.0880.0450.430
T-AOC, U/mgprot0.24 b0.26 ab0.33 a0.32 ab0.0200.0280.0050.232
MDA, nmol/mL33.2530.8820.6819.803.770.0470.0180.354
T-SOD, U/mL21.7523.0029.3829.131.990.0360.0120.302
GSH, mgGSH/gprot5.41 b5.63 ab10.18 a9.93 ab1.180.0460.0080.145
Jejunal mucosa
CAT, U/gprot4.134.256.496.410.6640.0650.0180.205
T-AOC, U/mgprot0.25 b0.25 b0.33 a0.34 a0.0210.0370.0080.141
MDA, nmol/mL34.2534.6320.2519.883.880.0720.0160.132
T-SOD, U/mL12.2113.9117.5017.931.550.0300.0230.624
GSH, mgGSH/gprot1.851.932.852.860.3150.0820.0330.280
Ileal mucosa
CAT, U/gprot5.55 c5.69 bc8.01 ab8.11 a0.6090.0380.0080.154
T-AOC, U/mgprot0.130.150.210.210.0210.0340.0190.508
MDA, nmol/mL88.25 a90.63 a60.75 b62.25 b5.630.0430.0020.027
T-SOD, U/mL8.61 b8.65 b10.38 a10.51 a0.4180.0350.0060.110
GSH, mgGSH/gprot1.13 b1.31 ab1.86 a1.96 a0.1730.0120.0050.400
Note: CON, basal diet; LJ0.05, LJ0.1, and LJ0.2, add 0.05% (LJ0.05), 0.1% (LJ0.1), and 0.2% (LJ0.2) Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the basal diet; CAT, catalase; T-AOC, total antioxidant capacity; MDA, malondialdehyde; T-SOD, total superoxide dismutase; GSH, glutathione; prot, protein. a,b,c Means in the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (p < 0.05).
Table 6. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on antioxidant in spleen, liver, and pancreas of weaned piglets.
Table 6. Effects of dietary supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 on antioxidant in spleen, liver, and pancreas of weaned piglets.
ItemsCONLJ0.05LJ0.1LJ0.2SEMp-Value
CON vs. LJLinearQuadratic
Spleen
CAT, U/gprot11.13 b12.09 ab15.26 a15.2 a0.8230.0080.0010.282
T-AOC, U/mgprot0.26 b0.25 b0.35 a0.35 a0.0230.0590.0070.072
MDA, nmol/mL154.9150.0123.4125.08.790.0490.0170.321
T-SOD, U/mL260.6 b264.3 ab297.4 ab302.1 a10.00.0420.0160.244
GSH, mgGSH/gprot1.75 b1.85 ab2.78 a2.83 a0.9540.0350.0090.202
Liver
CAT, U/gprot201.3 b205.1 ab245.9 a246.3 a11.20.0380.0090.190
T-AOC, U/mgprot0.59 b0.61 b0.93 a0.96 a0.0810.0340.0070.139
MDA, nmol/mL297.0276.9202.9204.127.90.0490.0240.437
T-SOD, U/mL1150 b1161 b1432 ab1485 a76.00.0440.0140.174
GSH, mgGSH/gprot1.89 b1.89 b3.28 a3.62 a0.3120.0270.0040.074
Pancreas
CAT, U/gprot5.015.285.795.680.2550.0650.0400.692
T-AOC, U/mgprot0.15 b0.20 ab0.26 a0.21 ab0.0160.0020.0010.829
MDA, nmol/mL47.847.529.126.65.480.0660.0230.188
T-SOD, U/mL242.1 b250.3 b296.0 a310.9 a11.80.0120.0030.204
GSH, mgGSH/gprot2.33 b2.50 ab3.19 ab3.29 a0.2490.0370.0210.407
Note: CON, basal diet; LJ0.05, LJ0.1, and LJ0.2, add 0.05% (LJ0.05), 0.1% (LJ0.1), and 0.2% (LJ0.2) Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 to the basal diet; CAT, catalase; T-AOC, total antioxidant capacity; MDA, malondialdehyde; T-SOD, total superoxide dismutase; GSH, glutathione prot, protein. a,b Means in the same row with different superscripts differ significantly (p < 0.05).
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Zhao, K.; Yin, H.; Yan, H.; Tang, W.; Diao, H.; Wang, Q.; Qi, R.; Liu, J. Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 Improved Antioxidant and Immune Function of Weaned Piglets. Animals 2023, 13, 1595. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101595

AMA Style

Zhao K, Yin H, Yan H, Tang W, Diao H, Wang Q, Qi R, Liu J. Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 Improved Antioxidant and Immune Function of Weaned Piglets. Animals. 2023; 13(10):1595. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101595

Chicago/Turabian Style

Zhao, Kai, Heng Yin, Honglin Yan, Wenjie Tang, Hui Diao, Qi Wang, Renli Qi, and Jingbo Liu. 2023. "Dietary Supplementation of Lactobacillus johnsonii RS-7 Improved Antioxidant and Immune Function of Weaned Piglets" Animals 13, no. 10: 1595. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13101595

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