Chengquan Tan’s research while affiliated with South China Agricultural University and other places

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are well-known prebiotics that have the potential to improve sow reproductive performance and increase piglet growth. However, previous studies were observed in sole FOS-supplemented diets of sows or weaned piglets and did not consider the sow-to-piglet transfer effect on the performance and diarrhea rate of weaned piglets. This study explores the effects of dietary FOS supplementation on the reproductive performance of sows, and the effects of FOS supplementation at different stages on the growth performance and diarrhea rate of weaned piglets. A split-plot experimental design was used with sow diet effect in the whole plot and differing piglet diet effect in the subplot. Fifty-two multiparous sows (223.24 ± 14.77 kg) were randomly divided into 2 groups (0 or 0.2% FOS). The experiment lasted from day 85 of gestation to day 21 of lactation. Reproductive performance, glucose tolerance, placental angiogenesis, and intestinal flora of sows were assessed. At weaning, 192 weaned piglets were grouped in 2 × 2 factorial designs, with the main effects of FOS supplemental level of sow diet (0 and 0.2%), and FOS supplemental level of weaned piglet diet (0 and 0.2%), respectively. The growth performance and diarrhea rate of the weaned piglets were analyzed during a 28-d experiment. Maternal dietary supplementation of FOS was shown to reduce the stillbirth and invalid piglet rates (P < 0.05), improve the insulin sensitivity (P < 0.05) and fecal scores (P < 0.05) of sows, increase the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila (P = 0.016), decrease the abundance of Escherichia coli (P = 0.035), and increase the isovalerate content in feces (P = 0.086). Meanwhile, the placental angiogenesis marker CD31 expression was increased in sows fed FOS diet (P < 0.05). Moreover, maternal and post-weaning dietary FOS supplementation reduced the diarrhea rate of weaned piglets (P < 0.05) and increased the content of short-chain fatty acids in feces (P < 0.05). Furthermore, only post-weaning dietary FOS supplementation could improve nutrient digestibility of weaned piglets (P < 0.05). Collectively, FOS supplementation in sows can reduce stillbirth rate, perinatal constipation, and insulin resistance, as well as improve placental vascularization barrier. Additionally, maternal and post-weaning dietary FOS supplementation reduced the diarrhea rate of weaned piglets, but only FOS supplementation in piglets alone at weaning stage could improve their nutrient digestibility.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) supplementation on reproductive performance, glucose intolerance and placental development of gilts during mid-late gestation. Based on the principle of backfat thickness consistency, 124 gilts at 65 d of gestation (G65d) were assigned to three dietary groups: CON (basic diet, n = 41), LGABA (basic diet supplemented with 0.03% GABA, n = 42) and HGABA (basic diet supplemented with 0.06% GABA, n = 41). The litter performance, glucose tolerance, placental angiogenesis and nutrients transporters were assessed. The LGABA group improved piglet vitality and placental efficiency and decreased area under the curve (AUC) of glucose tolerance test (GTT) compared to the CON group (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the LGABA group enhanced placental vessel density, platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31) levels and gene expression of fibroblast growth factor 18 (FGF18) (P < 0.05). Furthermore, LGABA showed an uptrend in glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) mRNA level (P = 0.09). Taken together, this study revealed that the dietary supplementation of 0.03% GABA can improve piglet vitality, glucose intolerance and placental development of gilts.

Our previous study revealed that dietary konjac flour (KF) could remodel gut microbiota and improve reproductive performance of sows, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This experiment aimed to investigate how dietary KF improves reproductive performance of obese sows. Here, 60 sows were assigned into three groups according to their backfat thickness: normal backfat sows fed with control diet (CON-N), high backfat sows fed with control diet (CON-H) and high backfat sows fed with KF inclusion diet (KF-H). The characteristics of sows and piglets were recorded. Next, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed on female mice, followed by recording the characteristics of female mice. The results showed that compared with CON-H group, KF-H group showed downtrend in stillbirth rate (P = 0.07), an increase in placental efficiency (P < 0.01) and average piglet weight (P < 0.01); coupled with a decrease in the values of homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (P < 0.01); as well as an increase in placental vascular density and protein expression of angiogenesis markers (P < 0.01). As expected, sows fed KF diets had improved abundance and diversity of gut microbiota. More importantly, compared with CON-H(FMT) group, KF-H(FMT) group showed improvement in reproductive performance and insulin sensitivity (P < 0.05), as well as an increase in placental labyrinth zone and protein expression of angiogenesis markers (P < 0.05). Furthermore, we found a content increase (P < 0.05) of SCFAs in both KF-H group sow and KF-H (FMT) group mice. Overall, KF supplementation could alleviate insulin resistance, promote placental angiogenesis, and ultimately improve the reproductive performance of sows via gut microbiota remodeling.

Inflammation-associated insulin resistance is a key trigger of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), but the underlying mechanisms and effective interventions remain unclear. Here, we report the association of placental inflammation (tumor necrosis factor–α) and abnormal maternal glucose metabolism in patients with GDM, and a high fermentable dietary fiber (HFDF; konjac ) could reduce GDM development through gut flora–short-chain fatty acid–placental inflammation axis in GDM mouse model. Mechanistically, HFDF increases abundances of Lachnospiraceae and butyrate, reduces placental-derived inflammation by enhancing gut barrier and inhibiting the transfer of bacterial-derived lipopolysaccharide, and ultimately resists high-fat diet–induced insulin resistance. Lachnospiraceae and butyrate have similar anti-GDM and anti–placental inflammation effects, and they can ameliorate placental function and pregnancy outcome effects probably by dampening placental immune dysfunction. These findings demonstrate the involvement of important placental inflammation–related mechanisms in the progression of GDM and the great potential of HFDFs to reduce susceptibility to GDM through gut-flora-placenta axis.

Our previous study revealed that dietary konjac flour (KF) could remodel gut microbiota and improve reproductive performance of sows, but its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This experiment aimed to investigate how dietary KF improves reproductive performance of obese sows. Here, 60 sows were assigned into three groups according to their backfat thickness: normal backfat sows fed with control diet (CON-N), high backfat sows fed with control diet (CON-H) and high backfat sows fed with KF inclusion diet (KF-H). The characteristics of sows and piglets were recorded. Next, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed on female mice, followed by recording the characteristics of female mice. The results showed that compared with CON-H group, KF-H group showed downtrend in stillbirth rate ( P = 0.07), an increase in placental efficiency ( P < 0.01) and average piglet weight ( P < 0.01); coupled with a decrease in the values of homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance ( P < 0.01); as well as an increase in placental vascular density and protein expression of angiogenesis markers ( P < 0.01). As expected, sows fed KF diets had improved abundance and diversity of gut microbiota. More importantly, compared with CON-H(FMT) group, KF-H(FMT) group showed improvement in reproductive performance and insulin sensitivity ( P < 0.05), as well as an increase in placental labyrinth zone and protein expression of angiogenesis markers ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, we found a content increase ( P < 0.05) of SCFAs in both KF-H group sow and KF-H(FMT) group mice. Overall, KF supplementation could alleviate insulin resistance, promote placental angiogenesis, and ultimately improve the reproductive performance of sows via gut microbiota remodeling.