Abstract
This study determined the effects of dietary branched-chain amino acids (AA) (BCAA) on growth performance, expression of jejunal AA and peptide transporters, and the colonic microflora of weanling piglets fed a low-protein (LP) diet. One hundred and eight Large White × Landrace × Duroc piglets (weaned at 28 days of age) were fed a normal protein diet (NP, 20.9 % crude protein), an LP diet (LP, 17.1 % crude protein), or an LP diet supplemented with BCAA (LP + BCAA, 17.9 % crude protein) for 14 days. Dietary protein restriction reduced piglet growth performance and small-intestinal villous height, which were restored by BCAA supplementation to the LP diet to values for the NP diet. Serum concentrations of BCAA were reduced in piglets fed the LP diet while those in piglets fed the LP + BCAA diet were similar to values for the NP group. mRNA levels for Na+-neutral AA exchanger-2, cationic AA transporter-1, b0,+ AA transporter, and 4F2 heavy chain were more abundant in piglets fed the LP + BCAA diet than the LP diet. However, mRNA and protein levels for peptide transporter-1 were lower in piglets fed the LP + BCAA diet as compared to the LP diet. The colonic microflora did not differ among the three groups of pigs. In conclusion, growth performance, intestinal development, and intestinal expression of AA transporters in weanling piglets are enhanced by BCAA supplementation to LP diets. Our findings provide a new molecular basis for further understanding of BCAA as functional AA in animal nutrition.
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Abbreviations
- ADFI:
-
Average daily feed intake
- ADG:
-
Average daily gain of body weight
- ASCT2:
-
Na+-neutral AA exchanger 2
- BCAA:
-
Branched-chain amino acids
- B0AT1:
-
System B0 neutral AA transporter
- CAT1:
-
Cationic amino acid transporter 1
- CP:
-
Crude protein
- DGGE:
-
Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis
- 4F2hc:
-
4F2 heavy chain
- LP:
-
Low protein
- mTOR:
-
Mammalian target of rapamycin
- NP:
-
Normal protein
- PepT-1:
-
Peptide transporter 1
- rBAT:
-
Related to b0,+ amino acid transporter
- RT-PCR:
-
Real-time polymerase chain reaction
- VFA:
-
Volatile fatty acids
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Acknowledgments
This research was supported by National Key Basic Research Program (2012CB124704 and 2013CB127302), NSFC (31272217 and 31272450), Chinese Universities Scientific Funds (2012RC024), and the Thousand-People-Talent program at China Agricultural University, and Texas AgriLife Research (No. 8200).
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Zhang, S., Qiao, S., Ren, M. et al. Supplementation with branched-chain amino acids to a low-protein diet regulates intestinal expression of amino acid and peptide transporters in weanling pigs. Amino Acids 45, 1191–1205 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-013-1577-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00726-013-1577-y