Dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol modulates gut microbiota and improves the growth, meat quality, and antioxidant status of growing-finishing pigs

Lianhua Zhang; Shenfei Long; Hongliang Wang; Xiangshu Piao

doi:10.3389/fmicb.2022.1095509

Dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol modulates gut microbiota and improves the growth, meat quality, and antioxidant status of growing-finishing pigs

Front Microbiol. 2023 Jan 11:13:1095509. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1095509. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Lianhua Zhang^{1

2

3}, Shenfei Long¹, Hongliang Wang⁴, Xiangshu Piao¹

Affiliations

¹ State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
² Key Laboratory of Plant Resources, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
³ China National Botanical Garden, Beijing, China.
⁴ College of Resources and Environmental Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.

Abstract

Introduction: 25-Hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD₃) is the active metabolite of regular vitamin D₃ in vivo, which has a stronger biological activity and is more easily absorbed by the intestine than regular vitamin D₃. Our study aimed to detect the potential influences of 25OHD₃ on pork quality, antioxidant status, and intestinal microbiota of growing-finishing pigs receiving low-phosphorus (P) diet.

Methods and results: Forty pigs [initial body weight (BW): 49.42 ± 4.01 kg] were allocated into two groups including low-P diet (CON group) and low-P diet supplemented with 50 μg/kg 25OHD₃ (25OHD₃ group). The whole experiment lasted for 88 days, including phase 1 (day 1-28), phase 2 (day 29-60), and phase 3 (day 61-88). The results showed that 25OHD₃ supplementation tended to decrease feed conversion ratio in phase 3 and overall phase in comparison with the CON group. 25OHD₃ increased (p < 0.05) serum contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and decreased (p < 0.05) serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase level. 25OHD₃ increased (p < 0.05) mucosal GSH-Px activity in the duodenum and ileum, and tended to increase redness value and the activities of total antioxidant capacity and SOD in longissimus dorsi. 25OHD₃ significantly upregulated the mRNA level of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase, and tended to change the mRNA levels of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 and kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 in longissimus dorsi. Moreover, 25OHD₃ supplementation decreased (p < 0.05) n-6/n-3 and iodine value in longissimus dorsi. For bone quality, 25OHD₃ supplementation increased (p < 0.05) calcium content, bone mineral content, and breaking strength in the metacarpal bones. Moreover, the colonic abundance of Lactobacillus was significantly higher in pigs fed with 25OHD₃, and exhibited a positive association with serum antioxidant status, pork quality, and bone characteristics.

Conclusion: Overall, the inclusion of 25OHD₃ in low P diet partly improved production performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity, bone properties, and gut microbiota composition of growing-finishing pigs.

Keywords: 25-hydroxycholecalciferol; antioxidant capacity; growing-finishing pigs; intestinal microbiota; meat quality.