XII - 12th International Symposium - Digestive Physiology of Pigs

Digestive
Physiology
of Pigs
17.7 d. For PPV 72.7% of piglets were ELISA positive by d
35 and HLAC was 12.0 d. Low transference of antibodies
to PRRS, Mhy and SIV in reference to antibody levels in
the CS product was observed. Calculated HLAC for PRRS,
Mhy and SIV antibodies were 11.9, 8.4 and 3.0 d and by d
14 the percentage of animals with these antibodies were
25%, 33% and none respectively. The uptake and halflife
of porcine supplemented antibodies varied by specific
antibody showing greater absorption and duration for PCV2
and PPV vs PRRS, SIV or Mhy.
Key words: colostrum, antibodies, half-life
2038 expression of mRNA for arginine succinate
synthase and spermidine/spermine-N-acetyltrasnferase
enzymes involved in the synthesis of polyamines
by the enterocytes of recently weaned pigs. N. Arce,*
A. Morales, M. Cervantes, D. Pérez, E. Yocupicio, and A.
Araiza, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Mexicali,
Baja California, México.
Polyamines are essential for the integrity and adequate
functioning of the enterocyte in pigs. Early weaned pigs
may experience damage of the enterocyte, which is
partially associated with the impairment in the synthesis
of polyamines. An experiment was conducted to evaluate
the effect of weaning on the expression of mRNA for 2
enzymes involved in the synthesis of polyamines, arginine
succinate synthase (ASS) and spermidine/spermine-Nacetyl
transferase (SSAT) in enterocytes of pigs. Twenty 4
crossbred pigs (12 males, 12 females), weaned at 28 d of
age with an average BW of 7.43 ± 0.52 kg were used. All pigs
received the same wheat-soybean meal diet. One group of
6 pigs was sacrificed on d 0, 3, 7, and 14 after weaning
to collect mucosal samples from duodenum, jejunum,
and ileum. Extraction of total RNA and the expression of
mRNA coding for ASS and SSAT from mucosal samples
were performed. Expression values at either, 3, 7 or 14 d
vs. 0 d after weaning were compared. Relative expression
(arbitrary units; mRNA for each enzyme:rRNA x 10 −3 ) of ASS
at 0, 3, 7, and 14 d after weaning were: duodenum, 1.57,
3.28, 0.80, 0.81; jejunum, 1.04, 0.69, 1.09, 0.93; ileum,
9.47, 7.96, 8.48, 23.82. The relative expression of SSAT
was: duodenum, 1.37, 4.77, 1.59, 1.21; jejunum, 0.94, 1.03,
1.01, 0.62; ileum, 1.80, 4.99, 2.19, 4.58. The expression
of ASS in duodenum was 158% higher (P = 0.05) at 3 d
after weaning, but reduced at basal levels at d 7 and 14
(P > 0.10); there was no effect of weaning date in jejunum
(P = 0.88) and ileum (P = 0.39). The expression of SSAT
was not affected by the day after weaning (P > 0.05). The
expression values of ASS and SSAT appear to be higher
in ileum than duodenum and jejunum. In conclusion, the
expression of ASS increased at d 3, but returns to basal
levels at d 7, suggesting an additional arginine need for
polyamine synthesis during the first week after weaning.
Key words: polyamines, enterocytes, weaned pigs
2039 Low birth weight is not related to higher
intestinal distribution or increased serum levels of
5-hydroxytryptamine. S. Willemen 1 , L. Che 2 , M. De Vos 1 ,
V. Huygelen 1 , C. Casteleyn 1 , S. Van Cruchten 1 , and C. Van
XII INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM ON
DIGESTIVE PHYSIOLOGY OF PIGS
109
Session IV
Ginneken* 1 , 1 University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium, 2 Sichuan
Agricultural University, Yaan, Sichuan, China.
Mortality and morbidity of piglets continues to be an
economic burden and threat to animal welfare. Perinatal
mortality is especially high among small for gestational age
(SGA) piglets. In addition to their high perinatal morbidity
and mortality, SGA piglets have difficulties catching up their
growth resulting in poor carcass and meat quality. Retarded
fetal growth can be attributed to placental insufficiency and
impaired fetal gut functioning. Thorough understanding of
the mode of gut failure and the extent to which this failing
persists after birth is essential to evaluate nutritional
strategies. Increased brain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamin,
5HT) in SGA infants suggests that 5HT metabolism goes
astray in case of fetal growth retardation, possibly resulting
in impaired gut functioning. Thus, the aim of this study was
to assess 5HT expression in enteroendocrine cells and 5HT
serum levels in piglets. Fetal (day (d) 70–80 and d 90–105
of gestation) and healthy (not suffering from diarrhea)
postnatal pigs (d 0 and d 3 of age) were assigned SGA (mean
body weight – 1.5 SD) or NBW (normal birth weight) (mean
body weight ± 0.5 SD). Each of the groups contained 5 pairs
of gender-matched pigs. Proximal and distal parts of the
small intestine were processed for immunohistochemistry
against 5HT. 5HT serum levels were measured in d 0 and
d 3 pigs by ELISA. The density of 5HT enteroendocrine
cells, showed no regional (P = 0.12) or body weight (P
= 0.23) related differences. Only the NBW fetuses had a
significantly higher density of 5HT cells compared with d 3
NBW (P = 0.03). The serum levels of 5HT revealed no age-
(P = 0.40) and body weight (P = 0.38) related differences.
These results contrast with serum and brain 5HT levels
in human, guinea pig and mouse SGA and suggest that
differences regarding serum and gastrointestinal 5HT
cannot explain differences in gastrointestinal functioning
often observed between SGA and NBW. But, since data
regarding the level of 5HT in nervous tissues, and regarding
the presence of the serotonin transporter are missing, an
excess of 5HT and role for 5HT in gut impairment in SGA
pigs cannot be excluded.
Key words: serotonin, birth weight, intestine
2040 Permeability changes in the small intestine of
neonatal piglets fed formula. V. Huygelen,* M. De Vos,
S. Willemen, B. Tambuyzer, C. Casteleyn, D. Knapen, S.
Van Cruchten, and C. Van Ginneken, University of Antwerp,
Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium.
Within-litter birth weight variation is adversely correlated
to piglet survival and postnatal growth. Interfering by
feeding these less competitive piglets a milk replacer will
reduce mortality rates and ensures adequate milk intake. A
compromised epithelial barrier function possibly increases
paracellular permeability enabling entrance of toxins,
allergenic compounds or bacteria into systemic tissues,
resulting in inflammation and immunologic responses.
This experiment investigated the barrier function of the
small intestine of normal birth weight piglets (NBW; 1.46
± 0.10 kg) and low birth weight piglets (LBW; less than 1
kg at birth). A total of 16 pairs of LBW and NBW piglets,