• Changbing Zheng, Bo Song, Yehui Duan, Yinzhao Zhong, Zhaoming Yan, Shiyu Zhang, and Fengna Li.
• Key Laboratory of Agro-ecological Processes in Subtropical Region, Institute of Subtropical Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Hunan Provincial Engineering Research Center for Healthy Livestock and Poultry Production; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in South-Central, Ministry of Agriculture, Changsha, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Regulation, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
• Nutrition. 2020 Oct 1; 78: 110839.

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore the effects of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) on intestinal function of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged piglets.MethodsForty weaned piglets were used in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The major factors were challenge (saline or LPS) and diet (basal diet or 0.6% HMB-Ca diet). After 15 d of treatment with LPS or HMB, blood and intestine samples were obtained.ResultsThe results showed that in LPS-injected pigs, HMB supplementation significantly increased jejunal villus height and ileal villus height-to-crypt depth ratio and decreased ileal crypt depth (P < 0.05). HMB also improved intestinal function indicated by elevated activities of intestinal mucosal disaccharidase and tricarboxylic acid cycle key enzymes. Furthermore, HMB significantly downregulated mRNA expression of Sirt1 in jejunum and mRNA expression of AMPKα1 and Sirt1 in ileum (P < 0.05), with a concurrent decrease of AMPKα phosphorylation in jejunum and ileum. Microbiota analysis indicated that HMB supplementation significantly increased α-diversity and affected relative abundances of Romboutsia and Sarcina at the genus level, accompanied by increased concentrations of all short-chain fatty acids except propionate in the terminate ileum of LPS-injected piglets.ConclusionDietary HMB supplementation could improve intestinal integrity, function, microbiota communities, and short-chain fatty acid concentrations in LPS-challenged piglets, suggesting its potential usage as a feed additive in weaned piglets to alleviate intestinal dysfunction triggered by immune stress.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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