Dietary alpha-ketoglutarate enhances intestinal immunity by Th17/Treg immune response in piglets after lipopolysaccharide challenge

• Published in: Journal of animal science 2023-01, Vol.101
• Main Authors: Liu, Guang M, Lu, Jia J, Sun, Wei X, Jia, Gang, Zhao, Hua, Chen, Xiao L, Tian, Gang, Cai, Jing Y, Zhang, Rui N, Wang, Jing
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Design factors; Diet; Diet - veterinary; Dietary Supplements; Forkhead protein; Gene expression; Genes; Growth factors; Helper cells; Immune response; Immune system; Immunity; Immunity (Disease); Immunology; Immunoregulation; Interleukins; Intestine; Ketoglutaric acid; Ketoglutaric Acids - pharmacology; Lipopolysaccharides; Lipopolysaccharides - pharmacology; Lymphocytes; Lymphocytes T; Non Ruminant Nutrition; Signal transduction; Swine; T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory; Transducers
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163; 1525-3163
• DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad213

Abstract Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG) is important for improving intestinal and systemic immune function. This study aimed to explore whether AKG enhances gut immunity in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-challenged piglets by modulating the immune-related helper T cells 17 (Th17)/regulatory T cells (Treg) balance pathway. A 2 × 2 factor design was used on 24 pigs, with the major factors being diet (basal diet or 1% AKG diet) and immunological challenge (saline or LPS). Piglets were fed with a basal or AKG diet for 21 d and then received intraperitoneal injection of LPS or saline. The results demonstrated that AKG supplementation enhanced growth performance compared with the control group (P