Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Enteral exposure to crude red kidney bean lectin induces maturation of the gut in suckling pigs

Rådberg, K. LU ; Biernat, M. ; Linderoth, A. LU ; Zabielski, R. ; Pierzynowski, S. G. LU and Weström, B. R. LU (2001) In Journal of Animal Science 79(10). p.2669-2678
Abstract

The present investigation characterized the effect of red kidney bean lectin exposure on gut maturation and function in young piglets. Eleven suckling pigs were given by stomach tube a crude red kidney bean lectin preparation (containing about 25% lectin, 400 mg/kg BW) (lectin-treated pigs) at 10, 11, and 12 d of life, and an additional 16 pigs (control pigs) were given saline instead. On the next day, the intestinal absorptive capacity was determined in vivo, and on the 14th d of life the piglets were killed and organs and small intestine samples were collected for analyses and in vitro permeability experiments. The lectin-treated pigs showed an increase in stomach weights and mucosa thickness, whereas no weight effect was found for... (More)

The present investigation characterized the effect of red kidney bean lectin exposure on gut maturation and function in young piglets. Eleven suckling pigs were given by stomach tube a crude red kidney bean lectin preparation (containing about 25% lectin, 400 mg/kg BW) (lectin-treated pigs) at 10, 11, and 12 d of life, and an additional 16 pigs (control pigs) were given saline instead. On the next day, the intestinal absorptive capacity was determined in vivo, and on the 14th d of life the piglets were killed and organs and small intestine samples were collected for analyses and in vitro permeability experiments. The lectin-treated pigs showed an increase in stomach weights and mucosa thickness, whereas no weight effect was found for the small intestine, spleen, liver, or adrenals. Morphometric analyses of the small intestine in lectin-treated pigs showed a decrease in villus heights, an increase in crypt depths and crypt cell mitotic indices, and fewer vacuolated enterocytes per villus and reduced vacuole size. Lectin treatment also resulted in a decrease in the absorption of different-sized marker molecules after gavage feeding, a decrease in intestinal marker permeability, and a change in small intestinal disaccharidase activities, with increased maltase and sucrase activities. The size of the pancreatic acini was also greater in the lectin-treated pigs, but no increases in enzyme content or pancreatic weight could be determined. In addition, the blood plasma levels of cholecystokinin were higher in the lectin-treated than in the control pigs. The results indicate that exposure to crude red kidney bean lectin induces structural and functional maturation of the gut and pancreatic growth in young suckling piglets. This possibility of inducing gut maturation may lead to an improvement in the piglets' ability to adapt to weaning and to an increase in the growth and health of these animals.

(Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Disaccharidase, Lectins, Mophometrics, Pancreas, Pancreozymin, Permeability
in
Journal of Animal Science
volume
79
issue
10
pages
10 pages
publisher
Oxford University Press
external identifiers
  • pmid:11721847
  • scopus:0035490258
ISSN
0021-8812
DOI
10.2527/2001.79102669x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
be80445f-50ac-4de4-9fee-d92786916f89
date added to LUP
2024-12-05 15:28:50
date last changed
2025-04-04 14:03:02
@article{be80445f-50ac-4de4-9fee-d92786916f89,
  abstract     = {{<p>The present investigation characterized the effect of red kidney bean lectin exposure on gut maturation and function in young piglets. Eleven suckling pigs were given by stomach tube a crude red kidney bean lectin preparation (containing about 25% lectin, 400 mg/kg BW) (lectin-treated pigs) at 10, 11, and 12 d of life, and an additional 16 pigs (control pigs) were given saline instead. On the next day, the intestinal absorptive capacity was determined in vivo, and on the 14th d of life the piglets were killed and organs and small intestine samples were collected for analyses and in vitro permeability experiments. The lectin-treated pigs showed an increase in stomach weights and mucosa thickness, whereas no weight effect was found for the small intestine, spleen, liver, or adrenals. Morphometric analyses of the small intestine in lectin-treated pigs showed a decrease in villus heights, an increase in crypt depths and crypt cell mitotic indices, and fewer vacuolated enterocytes per villus and reduced vacuole size. Lectin treatment also resulted in a decrease in the absorption of different-sized marker molecules after gavage feeding, a decrease in intestinal marker permeability, and a change in small intestinal disaccharidase activities, with increased maltase and sucrase activities. The size of the pancreatic acini was also greater in the lectin-treated pigs, but no increases in enzyme content or pancreatic weight could be determined. In addition, the blood plasma levels of cholecystokinin were higher in the lectin-treated than in the control pigs. The results indicate that exposure to crude red kidney bean lectin induces structural and functional maturation of the gut and pancreatic growth in young suckling piglets. This possibility of inducing gut maturation may lead to an improvement in the piglets' ability to adapt to weaning and to an increase in the growth and health of these animals.</p>}},
  author       = {{Rådberg, K. and Biernat, M. and Linderoth, A. and Zabielski, R. and Pierzynowski, S. G. and Weström, B. R.}},
  issn         = {{0021-8812}},
  keywords     = {{Disaccharidase; Lectins; Mophometrics; Pancreas; Pancreozymin; Permeability}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{2669--2678}},
  publisher    = {{Oxford University Press}},
  series       = {{Journal of Animal Science}},
  title        = {{Enteral exposure to crude red kidney bean lectin induces maturation of the gut in suckling pigs}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.2527/2001.79102669x}},
  doi          = {{10.2527/2001.79102669x}},
  volume       = {{79}},
  year         = {{2001}},
}