Effect of dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium in sows on intestinal health of the offspring

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium (PQQ·Na 2 ) supplementation in sows during gestation and lactation on intestinal health in offspring. A total of 40 cross-bred (landrace × large white crossed with Duroc boar) multiparity gestation sows with an average parity of 4.3 were used in this study. Forty sows were allotted to 2 dietary treatments after breeding. One group was the control sows, which were fed a corn-soybean meal control diet (Con treatment, n = 20), and the other group was the treatment sows fed a control diet with 20 mg kg −1 PQQ·Na 2 after breeding and through gestation and lactation (PQQ treatment, n = 20). The activities of SOD and GSH-Px were significantly ( P < 0.05) increased by PQQ·Na 2 supplementation, and MDA activity was decreased ( P < 0.05) in the plasma of piglets. CAT, SOD and GSH-Px activities were significantly ( P < 0.05) increased, and MDA activity was decreased ( P < 0.05) in the small intestine of piglets. The mRNA expression levels of SOD1, CAT and MGST1 in the jejunum were increased in newborn piglets ( P < 0.05), and the mRNA expression levels of HO1, SOD1, CAT, SOD2, GPX4, GPX1 and GCLC in the jejunum were increased in weaned piglets ( P < 0.05). The mRNA expression of ZO-1 was increased ( P < 0.05) in the jejunum of newborn piglets, and the mRNA expression of Occludin and ZO-1 was increased ( P < 0.05) in the jejunum of weaned piglets. The villous height of the duodenum and jejunum of weaned piglets was increased ( P < 0.05) by dietary PQQ·Na 2 . In weaned piglets, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes were the most prevalent phyla in both the Con and PQQ·Na 2 treatment groups, and the most prevalent genera were Alloprevotella and Bacteroides . At the phylum level, the abundance of Firmicutes was significantly increased ( P < 0.05), and the abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly decreased ( P < 0.05). At the genus level, the abundance of Alloprevotella was significantly increased ( P < 0.05), and the abundance of Actinobacillus and Escherichia was decreased ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, dietary supplementation with PQQ·Na 2 in sows during gestation and lactation had positive effects on intestinal health in offspring. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary pyrroloquinoline quinone disodium (PQQ·Na 2 ) supplementation in sows during gestation and lactation on intestinal health in offspring.