Dietary glutamate supplementation ameliorates mycotoxin-induced abnormalities in the intestinal structure and expression of amino acid transporters in young pigs

PLoS One. 2014 Nov 18;9(11):e112357. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112357. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with glutamic acid has beneficial effects on growth performance, antioxidant system, intestinal morphology, serum amino acid profile and the gene expression of intestinal amino acid transporters in growing swine fed mold-contaminated feed. Fifteen pigs (Landrace×Large White) with a mean body weight (BW) of 55 kg were randomly divided into control group (basal feed), mycotoxin group (contaminated feed) and glutamate group (2% glutamate+contaminated feed). Compared with control group, mold-contaminated feed decreased average daily gain (ADG) and increased feed conversion rate (FCR). Meanwhile, fed mold-contaminated feed impaired anti-oxidative system and intestinal morphology, as well as modified the serum amino acid profile in growing pigs. However, supplementation with glutamate exhibited potential positive effects on growth performance of pigs fed mold-contaminated feed, ameliorated the imbalance antioxidant system and abnormalities of intestinal structure caused by mycotoxins. In addition, dietary glutamate supplementation to some extent restored changed serum amino acid profile caused by mold-contaminated feed. In conclusion, glutamic acid may be act as a nutritional regulating factor to ameliorate the adverse effects induced by mycotoxins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems / genetics
  • Amino Acid Transport Systems / metabolism*
  • Amino Acids / blood
  • Animals
  • Body Weight
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Glutamic Acid / administration & dosage
  • Glutamic Acid / pharmacology*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism
  • Intestines / drug effects*
  • Intestines / pathology
  • Mycotoxicosis / drug therapy
  • Mycotoxicosis / veterinary*
  • Mycotoxins / toxicity*
  • Swine

Substances

  • Amino Acid Transport Systems
  • Amino Acids
  • Mycotoxins
  • Glutamic Acid

Grants and funding

The present work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31110103909, 31330075, 31272463), and the Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 12JJ2014, 13JJ2034). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.