Konjac flour-mediated gut microbiota alleviates insulin resistance and improves placental angiogenesis of obese sows
Deyuan Wu,
Wenyu Xiong,
Shuo Ma,
Jinxi Luo,
Hongxuan Ye,
Shuangbo Huang,
Fuyong Li,
Xi’en Xiang,
Qiling Chen,
Binghui Gao,
Jinping Deng,
Yulong Yin,
Chengquan Tan
Affiliations
Deyuan Wu
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Wenyu Xiong
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Shuo Ma
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Jinxi Luo
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Hongxuan Ye
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Shuangbo Huang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Fuyong Li
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Xi’en Xiang
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Qiling Chen
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Binghui Gao
Joinsha Animal Health Products (XIAMEN) CO., LTD. Xiamen
Jinping Deng
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Yulong Yin
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Chengquan Tan
Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition Control, National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Institute of Subtropical Animal Nutrition and Feed, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University
Abstract 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.