Publication: Effects of orally administered probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici on the small and large intestine of weaning piglets. A qualitative and quantitative micro-anatomical study
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Date
2008
Authors
Di Giancamillo, A. ; Vitari, F. ; Savoini, G. ; Bontempo, V. ; Bersani, C. ; Dell’Orto, V. ; Domeneghini, C.
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Publisher
Murcia : F. Hernández
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DOI
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info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Description
Abstract
Probiotic research has been approached,
above all in recent years, by widely differing points of
view, both for human and animal uses. Lactic acid
bacteria release bacteriocins, and some of them may
function as probiotic. The aim of the present study was
to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with
the probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici on the piglet
intestine, on circulating lymphocytes, and on aspects of
piglet performance during the first 42 days after
weaning.
Sixteen female piglets were at weaning assigned to
two dietary groups: Control (Ctr, 8 animals) and
Pediococcus acidilactici supplemented (Pa, 8 animals).
Piglets’ growth was monitored from weaning to the end
of the trial. On day 42 post-weaning, the piglets were
slaughtered and small specimens from both ileum and
cecum were examined with haematoxylin/eosin staining
to ascertain structural details. Histometry was performed
by villi and crypts measurements, as well as GALT
measurements. Histochemical analyses were performed
to investigate the intestinal mucins. Immunohistochemical
analyses were used to visualize
proliferating as well as apoptotic mucosal cells, and to
identify mucosal macrophages and IgA producing cells.
Intra-epithelial CD8+ T lymphocytes were identified and counted. Subsets of circulating T lymphocytes were
analyzed by flow cytometry.
Pediococcus acidilactici supplementation positively
influenced weight and post-weaning average daily gain
of treated piglets. Histometry showed an increase in villi
height and crypts depth in Pa animals in comparison
with controls. Treated piglets showed a larger number of
proliferating enterocytes than controls. Intra-epithelial
CD8+ T lymphocytes were scarcer in treated than in control piglets, likely in relation with catarrhal enteritis
shown in the latter.
We conclude that the studied supplementation was
possibly able to protect the piglet small intestinal
mucosa, improving local resistance to infections in the
stressful weaning period.
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