Dietary Citrus Flavonoids Improved Growth Performance and Intestinal Microbiota of Weaned Piglets via Immune Function Mediated by TLR2/NF-κB Signaling Pathway

作者：Chen Chen, Fu Feng, Min Qi, Qingju Chen, Wenjie Tang, Hui Diao, Zhijin Hu, Yibin Qiu, Zhangcheng Li, Yunyun Chu, Zhiru Tang · 发表于：Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1021/acs.jafc.4c03401 · 被引用次数：15 · 研究领域：Pharmacological Effects of Natural Compounds、Animal Nutrition and Physiology、Gut microbiota and health

This study investigated the effects of citrus flavonoids (CF) and compared to antibiotics on piglet growth and gut health. Weaned piglets were fed either a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with 75 mg/kg chlortetracycline (CTC), 20 mg/kg CF (CF1), 40 mg/kg CF (CF2), or 80 mg/kg CF (CF3). The CF group, especially CF3, exhibited improved growth performance; reduced diarrhea; significantly higher levels of serum growth factors, immunoglobulins, and anti-inflammatory cytokines; and significantly lower levels of pro-inflammatory factors and markers of intestinal barrier damage ( P < 0.05). The intestinal mucosa proteins ZO-1 and occludin increased, while NF-κB and TLR2 decreased, correlating with CF dosage ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, CF promoted a favorable balance in the gut microbiota, with an increased relative abundance of Bacteroidetes and Prevotella and decreased taxa Tenericutes and Clostridiales . Overall, CF enhanced piglet growth and gut health by modulating the TLR2/NF-κB pathway, offering a natural antibiotic alternative. The optimal dose of CF was 80 mg/kg.