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Supplementation of a Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product can attenuate the acute phase response following a lipopolysaccharide challenge in pigs
This study was designed to determine if feeding a Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product to weaned pigs would reduce stress and acute phase responses (APR) following a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Pigs (n=30; 6.4±0.1 kg BW) were housed individually in pens with ad libitum access to feed and water. Pigs were weighed upon arrival, assigned to 1 of 3 groups (n=10/treatment), and fed for 18 d: 1) Control, fed a non-medicated starter diet; 2) Control + Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product at 1 kg/MT (SGX1; Diamond V SynGenX™, Cedar Rapids, IA), and 3) Control + Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product at 2 kg/MT (SGX2). Pigs were anesthetized on d 7 and 14 for insertion of an i.p. temperature device and jugular catheter, respectively. On d 15, pigs were challenged i.v. with LPS (25 µg/kg BW). Blood samples were collected at 0.5 h (serum) and 1 h (complete blood cell counts) intervals from -2 to 8 h and at 24 h relative to LPS administration at 0 h. Pigs were weighed on d 7, 14, and 18, while feeders were weighed on d 7, 11, 14, 17, and 18. There was a treatment by time interaction (P<0.01) for pig BW and ADG. The SGX1 pigs had the greatest body weight at 7, 14, and 18 d. Pig ADG was greater in SGX1 and SGX2 on d14, yet was less on d18 compared to Control. In response to LPS, there was a greater change in i.p. temperature in Control pigs compared to SGX1 and SGX2 pigs (P<0.01). There was a treatment by time interaction (P=0.006) for cortisol; SGX2 pigs had decreased cortisol from 2.5 to 4.5 h and at 5.5 and 6.5 h compared to SGX1 and/or Control pigs. White blood cells, neutrophils and lymphocytes were decreased in SGX1 and SGX2 compared to Control pigs (P<0.001). There were treatment by time interactions for TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-6 (P≤0.04). Specifically, SGX1 pigs had a decreased (P≤0.04) TNF-α response while SGX2 pigs had a greater (P≤ 0.01) response. The IFN-γ response was delayed and decreased in SGX2 pigs compared to Control and SGX1 pigs (P≤0.02). The IL-6 response was decreased in both SGX1 and SGX2 compared to Control pigs (P≤0.01). These data demonstrate that feeding a Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product to weaned pigs can attenuate the APR to an LPS challenge.
Keywords: acute phase response, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, lipopolysaccharide