Use of pentadecanoic acid in relieving weaning stress of animals

Abstract

Pentadecanoic acid is added to feed, so that the inflammation level and oxidative stress of animals can be effectively relieved, the weaning stress of the animals is reduced, and the growth and development level of the animals is promoted. The present invention provides a use of pentadecanoic acid in reducing the weaning stress of the animals. Pentadecanoic acid can replace antibiotics to be added to the feed of the animals and is used for maintaining the health level of the animals and promoting the growth and development of the animals.

Description

Application of Pentadecanoic Acid in Alleviating Weaning Stress in Animals

[0001] Cross-references

[0002] This application claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202311364963.5, filed on October 20, 2023, entitled “Application of Pentadecanoic Acid in Alleviating Weaning Stress in Animals,” the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention relates to the technical field of animal breeding, and in particular to application of pentadecanoic acid in alleviating animal weaning stress. Background Art

[0004] Early weaning of piglets is a key technology for improving the efficiency of intensive and large-scale pig farming. However, during the early weaning process, various factors, including diet, environment, management, and psychological factors, can easily lead to weaning stress in piglets. This can manifest as decreased feed intake, indigestion, and slow growth. In severe cases, it can lead to diarrhea and even death. This high mortality rate in piglets caused by weaning stress seriously hinders the efficient development of the pig farming industry.

[0005] Numerous studies have shown that weaning stress triggers a basal stress response, weakening and unbalancing immune function, and increasing the expression of inflammatory cytokines, triggering various inflammatory responses in piglets. This can also disrupt the redox balance within cells, leading to oxidative stress and promoting the production of reactive oxygen species, thereby increasing the risk of oxidative damage and impairing piglet health. Therefore, establishing a nutritional regulation program that improves piglet health by alleviating inflammatory responses and oxidative stress is key to promoting piglet growth and development and enhancing the economic benefits of pig farming.

[0006] Feed antibiotics can prevent and treat animal diseases, promote growth, increase feed conversion, reduce disease incidence, and lower livestock and poultry mortality. However, the overuse of antibiotics has led to bacterial resistance, ecological pollution, and food safety issues, which have seriously impacted the healthy development of the livestock and food industries. This has posed significant challenges to pig health, growth, feed conversion, and disease prevention. Therefore, developing safe and effective alternatives to antibiotics and promoting the application of green and healthy antibiotic-free nutritional regulation technologies to maintain livestock health and promote their growth and development are inevitable trends in the efficient and sustainable development of the livestock industry.

[0007] Summary of the Invention

[0008] In order to solve the problems existing in the prior art, the present invention provides the use of pentadecanoic acid in alleviating weaning stress in animals.

[0009] Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0) is a long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) and an odd-chain fatty acid (OCFA) that has attracted increasing attention in recent years. Currently, research on the metabolic pathways and mechanisms of pentadecanoic acid is still in its early stages of exploration. Pentadecanoic acid is reported to participate in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism and plays a vital role in regulating physiological processes such as apoptosis and redox balance. Studies have shown that pentadecanoic acid promotes glucose uptake in adipocytes and skeletal muscle cells through the AMPK pathway and improves insulin sensitivity, thereby reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, serum pentadecanoic acid concentrations are negatively correlated with cardiovascular disease and obesity markers. Furthermore, pentadecanoic acid can promote apoptosis in breast cancer cells by inhibiting the JAK2-STAT3 signaling pathway.

[0010] The present study found that pentadecanoic acid may play a key role in regulating inflammatory responses. It can improve the inflammation level and oxidative stress of piglets, thereby alleviating weaning stress.

[0011] In a first aspect, the present invention provides use of pentadecanoic acid, or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid, in alleviating weaning stress in animals.

[0012] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in preparing a medicament for alleviating weaning stress in animals.

[0013] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in alleviating inflammatory response in animals.

[0014] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in preparing a medicament for alleviating an inflammatory response in an animal.

[0015] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in alleviating oxidative stress in animals.

[0016] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in preparing a medicament for alleviating oxidative stress in animals.

[0017] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in improving the growth and development ability of animals.

[0018] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in improving the growth and development ability of animals.

[0019] The present invention further provides use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in preparing a drug for improving the growth and development ability of an animal.

[0020] Furthermore, by feeding pentadecanoic acid, the inflammatory response of animals can be alleviated, the weaning stress of animals can be reduced, and the growth and development ability of animals can be improved.

[0021] Furthermore, the relieving of the inflammatory response of the animal comprises:

[0022] The immunoglobulin level of the animal after weaning is increased and / or the expression level of inflammatory cytokines of the animal after weaning is suppressed.

[0023] Furthermore, the alleviating oxidative stress of an animal comprises:

[0024] increasing the glutathione peroxidase level of the animal after weaning; and / or, increasing the total antioxidant capacity of the animal after weaning; and / or, increasing the superoxide dismutase level of the animal after weaning; and / or, reducing the malondialdehyde level of the animal after weaning.

[0025] Furthermore, the growth and development ability includes: one or more of body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake or feed-to-weight ratio.

[0026] Furthermore, the animal is a mammal, preferably a pig.

[0027] Furthermore, the composition is a daily feed; the content of pentadecanoic acid in the daily feed is 0.5-5 kg / t.

[0028] In a second aspect, the present invention provides a dietary feed for weaned piglets, comprising: pentadecanoic acid.

[0029] Furthermore, the content of pentadecanoic acid in the daily feed is 0.5-5 kg / t.

[0030] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0031] The present invention has found that adding pentadecanoic acid to the feed of weaned piglets can effectively alleviate inflammation and oxidative stress, reduce weaning stress, and improve the growth and development of piglets. The use of pentadecanoic acid provided by the present invention can replace antibiotic products in animal breeding processes, effectively promoting animal growth and development, and has important significance and application value in the animal breeding industry. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0032] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, a brief introduction is given below to the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0033] FIG1 is a schematic diagram of the experimental design and animal breeding method provided in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0034] FIG2 is a schematic diagram showing the comparison results of the weight, average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed-to-weight ratio of weaned piglets in the pentadecanoic acid group and the control group provided in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0035] FIG3 is a schematic diagram showing the comparison results of immunoglobulin levels in plasma of weaned piglets in the pentadecanoic acid group and the control group provided in Example 1 of the present invention.

[0036] FIG4 is a comparative diagram of the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the plasma and spleen of weaned piglets in the pentadecanoic acid group and the control group provided in Example 1 of the present invention; the upper five figures are the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the plasma, and the lower figure is the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the spleen.

[0037] FIG5 is a schematic diagram showing a comparison of antioxidant index levels in plasma of weaned piglets in the pentadecanoic acid group and the control group provided in Example 1 of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the present invention more clear, the technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the embodiments described are only some of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of them. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0039] Example 1

[0040] This embodiment provides the application of pentadecanoic acid in pig farming, and the specific process is as follows:

[0041] 1. Experimental design and animal husbandry

[0042] A total of 96 weaned piglets (7.57 ± 1.03 kg, bred Duroc, Longhorn, and Large) of similar weight were selected and divided into a control group (CON) and a pentadecanoic acid group (PA). Body weights were recorded and the pigs were fed either a basal diet or an experimental diet (the experimental diet consisted of the basal diet supplemented with 1 kg / t pentadecanoic acid). Each group had six replicates, with eight pigs per replicate. The experimental period lasted 28 days (see Figure 1).

[0043] The basic ration is formulated as follows:

[0044] Basic diet formula (%, feeding basis) Note: 1 The premix provides per kg of feed: Vitamin A, 12,000 IU; Vitamin D3, 2,500 IU; Vitamin E, 30 IU; Vitamin K3, 3 mg; Vitamin B1, 2.5 mg; Vitamin B2, 4.0 mg; Vitamin B6, 3.0 mg; Vitamin B 12 , 12μg; niacin, 40mg; thiamine, 3mg; riboflavin, 6mg; pantothenic acid, 15 mg; folic acid, 0.7mg; biotin, 50μg; iron, 90.0mg; copper, 25mg; zinc, 75mg; manganese, 40mg; iodine, 0.35mg; selenium, 0.3mg. 2 Calculated value.

[0045] 2. Pentadecanoic acid improves the growth and development performance of weaned piglets

[0046] At the end of the experiment (after 28 days), the weight and feed intake of the piglets were counted, and the average daily weight gain, average daily feed intake and feed-to-weight ratio of the piglets were calculated.

[0047] The results are shown in Figure 2. It can be seen that compared with the CON group, the PA group fed with the basic diet supplemented with pentadecanoic acid had significantly increased piglet weight, average daily weight gain and average daily feed intake (P<0.05), and a significantly reduced feed-to-weight ratio (P<0.05). This indicates that pentadecanoic acid can significantly improve the growth and development performance of weaned piglets.

[0048] 3. Pentadecanoic acid improves immunoglobulin levels in weaned piglets

[0049] At the end of the experiment (after 28 days), one pig was randomly selected from each replicate, blood was collected, and plasma was obtained by centrifugation at 3000g for 10 minutes. The plasma immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgG, and IgM) were measured using an ELISA kit. The results are shown in Figure 3. Pentadecanoic acid can significantly increase the IgG level in the piglet plasma (P < 0.01), thereby improving its immune function.

[0050] 4. Pentadecanoic acid inhibits the expression of inflammatory cytokines in weaned piglets

[0051] At the end of the experiment (after 28 days), one pig was randomly selected for slaughter in each repetition, blood was collected, and plasma was obtained by centrifugation at 3000g for 10 minutes. The plasma cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) were measured using an ELISA kit. At the same time, the spleen tissue was quickly frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at -80°C. Total RNA was extracted from the tissue and the expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) was measured using the RT-qPCR method. As shown in Figure 4, pentadecanoic acid significantly reduced the levels of piglet plasma cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-8, and increased the level of piglet plasma IL-10; and reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in the spleen (P<0.05), thereby alleviating the inflammatory response of weaned piglets.

[0052] 5. Pentadecanoic acid alleviates oxidative stress in weaned piglets

[0053] At the end of the experiment (after 28 days), one pig was randomly selected for each repetition and slaughtered. Blood was collected and centrifuged at 3000g for 10 minutes to obtain plasma. Plasma total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured using a test kit. The results, as shown in Figure 5, show that pentadecanoic acid significantly increased the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels in piglet plasma, and reduced the malondialdehyde (MDA) level in piglet plasma (P < 0.05), thereby alleviating oxidative stress in weaned piglets.

[0054] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the various embodiments of the present invention. Industrial Applicability

[0055] The present invention relates to the field of animal breeding technology, and in particular to the use of pentadecanoic acid in alleviating animal weaning stress. The present invention has found that adding pentadecanoic acid to feed can effectively alleviate the inflammation level and oxidative stress of animals, reduce the weaning stress of animals, and promote the growth and development level of animals. The use of pentadecanoic acid provided by the present invention in reducing the weaning stress of animals allows it to replace antibiotics and be added to the feed of animals, for maintaining the health level of animals and promoting the growth and development of animals. It has high practical value in the animal breeding industry and has good economic value and application prospects.

Claims

1. Use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in alleviating weaning stress in animals.

2. Use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in alleviating inflammatory response in animals.

3. Use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in alleviating oxidative stress in animals.

4. Use of pentadecanoic acid or a composition comprising pentadecanoic acid in improving the growth and development ability of animals.

5. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that: By feeding pentadecanoic acid, the animals' inflammatory response and oxidative stress can be alleviated, the animals' weaning stress can be reduced, and the animals' growth and development ability can be improved.

6. The use according to claim 2 or 5, characterized in that: The method for alleviating the inflammatory response of animals comprises: The immunoglobulin level of the animal after weaning is increased and / or the expression level of inflammatory cytokines of the animal after weaning is inhibited.

7. The use according to claim 3 or 5, characterized in that: The method for alleviating oxidative stress in animals comprises: Improving the glutathione peroxidase level of the animal after weaning; and / or, improving the total antioxidant capacity of the animal after weaning; and / or, increasing the superoxide dismutase level of the animal after weaning; and / or, reducing the malondialdehyde level of the animal after weaning.

8. The use according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that: The growth and development ability includes: one or more of body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake or feed-to-weight ratio.

9. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: The animal is a mammal, preferably a pig.

10. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The composition is a daily feed; the content of pentadecanoic acid in the daily feed is 0.5-5 kg / t.

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