N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine improves the intestinal development and nutrient absorption of weaned piglets via regulating the activity of intestinal stem cells

Early weaning in piglets can cause a series of negative effects. This causes serious losses to the livestock industry. N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine (D-GIcNAc) plays an important role in regulating the homeostasis of the intestine. This study aimed to investigate the effects of D-GIcNAc on the growth performance and intestinal function of weaned piglets. Twenty-four weaned piglets ([Yorkshire x Landrace] x Duroc, 6.58 +/- 0.15 kg, n = 8) at 21 d old were fed 3 diets supplemented with 0 (control), I and 3 g/kg D-GIcNAc. The intestinal organoid model was used to verify the regulatory mechanism of D-GIcNAc on intestinal epithelial cells. On the whole, supplementation of D-GIcNAc in the piglet diet has no significant effect on the growth performance and diarrhoea of weaned piglets (P > 0.05). The apparent digestibility of nutrients and mRNA abundance of nutrient transporters in the 1 g/kg D-GIcNAc group were increased significantly (P < 0.05). D-GIcNAc did not affect villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) but resulted in a numerically shorter VH and shallower CD, which lead to an increase in ileal VH:CD ratio (P < 0.05). Cell shedding rates in the ileum villi increased (P < 0.05). The relative length and weight of the small intestine of weaned piglets increased (P < 0.05). In vitro studies found that the budding rates of organoids treated with 0.1 mmol/L D-GIcNAc increased on the d 3 and 5 (P < 0.05). The average budding numbers per budding organoid treated with 0.1 and 10 mmol/L D-GIcNAc increased on d 3 (P < 0.05). D-GIcNAc upregulated leucine rich repeat containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5(+)) and Chromogranin A mRNA abundance in organoids (P < 0.05). Mucin 2 (Muc2) expression increased when treated with 1 and 10 mmol/L D-GIcNAc (P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary D-GIcNAc cannot improve the growth performance of weaned piglets. However, it can promote the growth and development of the intestinal tract and improve the digestion and absorption capacity of the intestine, which is achieved by affecting the activity of intestinal stem cells. (C) 2021 Chinese Association of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine. Publishing services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.

Automated summary

Supplementing D-GIcNAc in the diet of weaned piglets has no significant effect on growth performance and diarrhea. However, it promotes the growth and development of the intestinal tract, improves digestion and absorption capacity, and affects the activity of intestinal stem cells.