Weaning is a critical stage for piglets, often leading to intestinal barrier disruption, impaired nutrient absorption, and growth reduction. This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with dried bovine colostrum or sodium butyrate on intestinal barrier function, nutrient absorption, and growth performance in weaned piglets. Eighteen DanBred Hybrid piglets (28 days old) were allocated to three groups (n = 6): control (no additive), colostrum, and sodium butyrate. Piglets were fed standardized prestarter and starter diets for 28 days. Growth performance and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were monitored, and intestinal permeability was assessed using a sugar absorption test with LC-MS/MS analysis of urinary sugars. Additional evaluations included intestinal histomorphometry, brush border enzyme activities, immunohistochemistry for tight junction proteins, hematological and biochemical parameters, and gene expression analysis. Colostrum supplementation resulted in significantly higher final body weight and average daily gain compared with control and sodium butyrate groups (P < 0.001). FCR was consistently improved in the colostrum group during both feeding phases. Sugar absorption tests indicated greater urinary recovery of mannitol, lactulose, sucrose, and raffinose, suggesting enhanced intestinal permeability and nutrient uptake. Histological analysis showed longer jejunal villi and increased mucosal width (P < 0.01). Colostrum-fed piglets also exhibited higher sucrase and lactase activities and upregulated expression of occludin and claudin 5. Sodium butyrate produced positive but less pronounced effects, including increased claudin 1 expression in the ileum and dipeptidylpeptidase IV activity. Hematological parameters remained within reference ranges, with lower gamma-glutamyl transferase levels observed in the colostrum group, indicating reduced metabolic stress. No major differences were found in cytokine gene expression. In summary, spray-dried bovine colostrum supports gut health and metabolism in weaned piglets by enhancing intestinal barrier maturation. It boosts digestive enzyme activity and nutrient utilization, which contributes to improved growth. Sodium butyrate provided supportive but less consistent benefits. Overall, bovine colostrum represents a practical and effective nutritional strategy to improve the health and development of piglets after weaning.
This study examined the impact of enzymatic tenderization on Cornu aspersum aspersum snail meat using mechanical texture analysis, SDS-PAGE (sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis) protein profiling, and sensory evaluation. Samples were treated with papain (0.05-0.1%), bromelain (0.05-0.1%), or 10-25% ginger extract containing zingibain and subsequently hydrothermally processed. All enzymatic treatments significantly reduced shear force compared with the control (p < 0.05). The lowest connective tissue resistance (S1) was observed for 0.1% bromelain (14.1 N) and 10% ginger extract (19.0 N), versus >21 N in untreated samples. SDS-PAGE revealed that bromelain caused extensive degradation of high-molecular-weight proteins (>90 kDa), whereas papain induced moderate myofibrillar proteolysis. Higher concentrations of bromelain (0.1%) and ginger extract (25%) resulted in excessive softening and structural disintegration, leading to sensory disqualification. Sensory evaluation showed that moderate enzyme concentrations significantly improved overall acceptability (p < 0.05). Samples treated with 10% ginger extract achieved the highest overall sensory score (4.6/5), exceeding the control (3.9) and papain- or bromelain-treated samples (4.1-4.2). In conclusion, although bromelain exhibited the strongest proteolytic activity, a 10% ginger extract was identified as the optimal treatment, providing effective tenderization while preserving structural integrity and sensory quality.
Endurance exercise induces extensive metabolic remodeling in equine athletes, yet the global metabolic responses in purebred Arabian horses remain insufficiently characterized. This study aimed to investigate plasma metabolomic alterations associated with prolonged aerobic exercise using untargeted liquid chromatography–high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS). Plasma samples from twelve trained Arabian horses were collected before and after 80-km endurance rides and analyzed using both hydrophilic interaction (HILIC) and reversed-phase (C18) chromatographic platforms. Multivariate analysis (PLS-DA) revealed a distinct separation between pre- and post-exercise metabolic profiles. Forty-seven metabolites exhibited significant concentration changes, primarily involving acylcarnitines, organic acids, and amino acid derivatives. Marked increases in medium- and long-chain acylcarnitines, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, pyruvate, and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) intermediates indicated a pronounced metabolic shift toward enhanced fatty-acid β-oxidation and oxidative phosphorylation. Concurrent decreases in tryptophan and small peptides reflected intensified amino acid catabolism and potential mechanisms of central fatigue. Classical exercise biomarkers—creatinine, urea, and lactic acid—were significantly elevated and strongly correlated with LC-HRMS results (r > 0.99, p < 0.05). Additional upregulated metabolites, including HpODE, allantoin, and homovanillic acid, suggested activation of oxidative stress and dopaminergic signaling pathways. This study provides comprehensive metabolomic evidence of systemic metabolic adaptation to prolonged endurance exercise in Arabian horses. The findings highlight key biochemical pathways involved in energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and neuromodulation, and identify potential plasma biomarkers for monitoring fatigue, metabolic stress, and performance in equine endurance athletes.
The horse is a distinctive translational model for bridging mechanistic discovery and clinically relevant investigation because of its physiological complexity,long lifespan,athletic phenotype,and broad spectrum of naturally occurring conditions that parallel aspects of human health and disease.Its utility extends from musculoskeletal and joint research to immunology,metabolic disorders,and exercise physiology,particularly where naturally developed disease,clinically applicable imaging,and longitudinal sampling are required.Additionally,it offers opportunities to examine both chronic and acute pathological processes in a setting that closely approximates clinical reality.Advances in molecular profiling,imaging technologies,and biomarker discovery have expanded the scope of equine-based studies,enabled refined mechanistic insights,and facilitated translational strategies.The integration of equine research into comparative medicine frameworks holds promise for accelerating therapeutic innovation within comparative and One-Health,improving health outcomes across species.
Studies examining the paracrine effect of fibroblasts on the myogenesis of bovine muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) have confirmed their stimulating effect on proliferation and early differentiation. However, traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture models fail to accurately represent the complexity of in vivo muscle tissue. This study aims to investigate the paracrine effect of fibroblasts on myogenesis in a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture model. Cells were cultured in monoculture and co-culture with fibroblasts in a spinner flask using gelatin microcarriers, Cultishper, which maximizes the growth surface area for adherent cells. Then, muscle cells from the co-culture were sorted by the FACS method based on negative expression of CD90, a fibroblast-associated marker. The progress of myogenesis was assessed based on qPCR analysis for selected muscle markers and at the protein level for skeletal myosin. Fluorescent staining and luminescent metabolic assays were performed to control culture conditions. The obtained results revealed up-regulation of genes involved in cell activation and proliferation (PAX7, MYF5, and MYOD) and differentiation (MYOG, EGR1, and MYH). Metabolism analyses did not show changes between mono- and co-culture conditions. To summarize, fibroblasts through paracrine signaling promote early differentiation of MuSCs and potentially proliferation, which provides valuable insights for the advancement of cultured meat production.
