Dietary Supplementation of Limosilactobacillus mucosae LM1 Enhances Immune Functions and Modulates Gut Microbiota Without Affecting the Growth Performance of Growing Pigs

Qianqian Zhang; Robie Vasquez; Jeong Min Yoo; Sang Hoon Kim; Dae-Kyung Kang; In Ho Kim

doi:10.3389/fvets.2022.918114

Dietary Supplementation of Limosilactobacillus mucosae LM1 Enhances Immune Functions and Modulates Gut Microbiota Without Affecting the Growth Performance of Growing Pigs

Front Vet Sci. 2022 Jun 30:9:918114. doi: 10.3389/fvets.2022.918114. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Qianqian Zhang¹, Robie Vasquez¹, Jeong Min Yoo¹, Sang Hoon Kim¹, Dae-Kyung Kang¹, In Ho Kim¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Animal Resources and Science, Dankook University, Cheonan, South Korea.

Abstract

Limosilactobacillus mucosae LM1 (LM1) is previously isolated from the intestine of piglets, but its potential as a probiotic supplement has not yet been assessed in growing pigs. In this study, we analyzed the probiotic effect of LM1 on the growth performance, apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of nutrients, immune properties, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota and their metabolites in growing pigs. The experiment included 145 Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) pigs (average body weight: 21.21 ± 1.14 kg) distributed into five treatment groups. The pigs were fed either a control diet (CON), or the control diet supplemented with incremental doses of LM1, namely low-dose LM1 (LL, 8.3 × 10⁸ CFU/kg), moderate-low dose LM1 (ML, 4.2 × 10⁹ CFU/kg), moderate-high dose LM1 (MH, 8.3 × 10⁹ CFU/kg), and high-dose LM1 (HH, 2.1 × 10¹⁰ CFU/kg) for 42 d. On d 42, 12 pigs from each of the CON and MH groups were slaughtered. The results indicated that the ATTD of nitrogen (N, P = 0.038) was improved with MH supplementation. In addition, increasing dose of LM1 improved the immune response in pigs by reducing serum pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and increasing anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-10). Pigs fed with MH LM1 also had higher jejunal villus height and ileal villus height: crypt depth ratio, demonstrating improved intestinal morphology. Moreover, moderate-high LM1 supplementation enriched SCFA-producing taxa such as Lactobacillus, Holdemanella, Peptococcus, Bifidobacterium, Eubacterium_hallii_group, and Lachnospiraceae_AC2044_group, which correlated positively with increased fecal levels of butyrate and iso-valerate. These results strongly suggest the probiotic potential of LM1 on growing pigs. Overall, the current study provides insights on the use of L. mucosae LM1 as a novel livestock probiotic to improve pig gut health.

Keywords: growing pig; gut microbiota community; immune function; intestinal morphology; nutrition digestibility; short-chain fatty acid.