Background: Very low-protein (VLP) diets negatively impact calcium (Ca) metabolism and absorption. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of supplemental branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) and limiting amino acids (LAA) on Ca digestibility, absorption and reabsorption in pigs fed with VLP diets. Forty-eight piglets were assigned to six treatments: positive control (PC), negative control (NC), and NC containing LAA 25%, LAA 50%, LAA + BCAA 25% (LB25) and LAA + BCAA 50% (LB50) more than recommendations.
Results: Relative to PC or NC, LB25 and LB50 had higher digestibility of Ca and plasma Ca and phosphorus (P), but lower plasma vitamin D3. LB50 tended to increase vitamin D receptor transcript and protein in the gut, but decreased mRNA or protein abundance of parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R), calbindin 1 (CALB1), cytochrome P450 family 27 subfamily B member 1 and occludin in small intestine. LB50 increased the transcript of cytochrome P450 family 24 subfamily A member 1 and PTH1R but decreased the transcript of transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily V member 5, CALB1 and solute carrier family 17 member 4 in kidney.
Conclusion: Overall, BCAA increased Ca digestibility through regulating the transcellular and paracellular Ca absorption in the gut and reabsorption in kidney during protein restriction.
Keywords: Branched-chain amino acids; Calcium absorption and reabsorption; Calcium digestibility; Pig; Very low protein diets.
© 2022. The Author(s).