Swine intestinal segment perfusion model for the evaluation of nutrients bioaccessibility

Matteo Dell'Anno; Fabio Acocella; Pietro Riccaboni; Camilla Recordati; Elisabetta Bongiorno; Luciana Rossi

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0283825

Swine intestinal segment perfusion model for the evaluation of nutrients bioaccessibility

PLoS One. 2023 Apr 14;18(4):e0283825. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0283825. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Matteo Dell'Anno¹, Fabio Acocella¹, Pietro Riccaboni¹, Camilla Recordati¹, Elisabetta Bongiorno¹, Luciana Rossi¹

Affiliation

¹ Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences - DIVAS, Università degli Studi di Milano, Lodi, Italy.

Abstract

Nutrition science requires more science-based evidences for the development of effective functional diets. To reduce animals for experimental purposes innovative reliable and informative models, simulating the complex intestinal physiology, are needed. The aim of this study was to develop a swine duodenum segment perfusion model for the evaluation of nutrient bioaccessibility and functionality across time. At the slaughterhouse, one sow intestine was harvested following Maastricht criteria for organ donation after circulatory death (DCD) for transplantation purposes. Duodenum tract was isolated and perfused in sub-normothermic conditions with heterologous blood after cold ischemia induction. Duodenum segment perfusion model was maintained under controlled pressure conditions through extracorporeal circulation for 3 hours. Blood samples from extracorporeal circulation and luminal content samples were collected at regular intervals for the evaluation of glucose concentration by glucometer, minerals (Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, K+) by ICP-OES, lactate-dehydrogenase and nitrite oxide by spectrophotometric methods. Dacroscopic observation showed peristaltic activity caused by intrinsic nerves. Glycemia decreased over time (from 44.00±1.20 mg/dL to 27.50±0.41; p < 0.01), suggesting glucose utilization by the tissue confirming the organ viability in line with histological examinations. At the end of the experimental period, intestinal mineral concentrations were lower than their level in blood plasma suggesting their bioaccessibility (p < 0.001). A progressive increase of LDH concentration over time was observed in the luminal content probably related to a loss of viability (from 0.32±0.02 to 1.36±0.02 OD; p < 0.05) confirmed by histological findings that revealed a de-epithelization of the distal portion of duodenum. Isolated swine duodenum perfusion model satisfied the criteria for studying bioaccessibility of nutrients, offering a variety of experimental possibilities in line with 3Rs principle.

Copyright: © 2023 Dell’Anno et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Extracorporeal Circulation* / methods
Female
Glucose
Intestines
Organ Preservation* / methods
Perfusion / methods
Swine

Substances

Glucose

Grants and funding

This research was financially supported by Lombardy Region (funding number: POR FESR 2014–2020_BANDO Call HUB Ricerca e Innovazione_D.G.R. NR 727 del 5 November 2018), within the project "MIND FoodS Hub (Milano Innovation District Food System Hub): Innovative concept for the eco-intensification of agricultural production and for the promotion of dietary patterns for human health and longevity through the creation in MIND of a digital Food System Hub", awarded to LR. This study was also financially supported by the APC Central Fund of the University of Milan. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.