Response of Colonic Mucosa-Associated Microbiota Composition, Mucosal Immune Homeostasis, and Barrier Function to Early Life Galactooligosaccharides Intervention in Suckling Piglets

Suckling piglets were used to investigate the response of colonic mucosa-associated microbiota composition, mucosal immune homeostasis, and barrier function to early life galactooligosaccharides (GOS) intervention. Ten milliliter 1 g/kg body weight GOS solutions and physiological saline solutions were fed to the newborn piglets in the GOS group and in the control (CON) group a week time, respectively. Six piglets from each group were euthanized on day 8 and day 21. GOS piglets had a higher abundance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) producer such as Prevotella, Barnesiella, Parabacteroides, and Unclassified Porphyromonadaceae in colonic mucosa (P < 0.05). In addition, the total SCFAs level in colonic digesta of GOS piglets increased on day 8 (P < 0.05) and day 21 (P = 0.064). Meanwhile, a higher SCFAs concentration in colon of the GOS piglets altered the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-8 and IL-10) and barrier proteins (ZO-1 and Claudin-1) through regulating the phosphorylation of the NFKB and AMPK signaling pathway. In summary, these results provide important insights and understandings to reveal the relationship between the mucosal microbiota colonization and intestinal function at the early life stage of piglets.