Effects of glutamate and aspartate on growth performance, serum amino acids, and amino acid transporters in piglets

Abstract

This study mainly investigated the effects of different dietary levels of glutamate (Glu) and aspartate (Asp) on growth performance, blood amino acids, and amino acid transporters in piglets. Forty-two healthy piglets were randomly divided into six groups (n = 7): a control group in which piglets were fed 2.9% Glu and 1.5% Asp and other groups in which piglets received 1.3% or 1.7% Asp and 2.6%, 3.2%, or 3.5% Glu for 21 days. Growth performance, serum amino acid profiles from the mesenteric vein, portal vein, and anterior vena cava, and amino acid transporters in the liver were determined. The results showed that lower doses of Asp promoted growth and enhanced the amino acids, while high doses of Asp and Glu reduced growth and the amino acid pool in piglets (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, 3.2% Glu increased branched chain amino acids in the portal vein and anterior vena cava (P < 0.05). 3.5% Glu downregulated SLC7A1, SLC7A7, and SLC6A19 expression in the liver (P < 0.05). Collectively, these results indicated that different dietary doses of Glu and Asp influenced growth performance and serum amino acid.

Keywords

• piglets
• glutamate
• aspartate
• amino acid
• amino acid transporters