Effect Of Grapeseed Procyanidins On Small Intestinal Mucosa Morphology And Small Intestinal Development In Weaned Piglets

Context Grapeseed procyanidins (GSP) are widely recognised to have potential biological properties, and dietary supplementation with GSP could reduce diarrhoea incidence in weaned piglets.Aims. This trial was conducted to investigate the effect of GSP on small intestinal mucosa morphology and small intestinal development in weaned piglets.Methods. Seventy-two weaned piglets were randomly allocated into four dietary groups with three replicate pens per group and six piglets per pen. Each group received one of the following diets: a basal maize-soybean meal diet; or basal diet supplemented with 50, 100 or 150 mg GSP/kg. Small intestinal mucosa morphology and the expression of genes involved in improving small intestinal development were determined.Key results. Morphological observations obtained by optical microscopy showed that the villus height of the duodenum and ileum increased in all groups receiving GSP, significantly (P < 0.05) so in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg compared with the control group. Crypt depth of the duodenum and ileum in the groups receiving 100 and 150 mg GSP/kg decreased compared with the control group. Similarly, the crypt depth of the jejunum in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg was significantly (P < 0.05) lowered. Moreover, the villus height/crypt depth ratio of each small intestinal segment in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg increased significantly (P < 0.01). Morphological observations obtained by scanning electron microscopy indicated that dietary supplementation with GSP was favourable for growth of small intestinal villi. Specifically, the villi of the small intestine in the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg were most closely aligned, most uniform in size and clearest in structure. Furthermore, dietary supplementation with GSP increased the expression of genes encoding epidermal growth factor receptor, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and IGF-1 receptor in the duodenum, the group receiving 100 mg GSP/kg showing a significant (P < 0.05) increase.Conclusions. Dietary supplementation with GSP could improve small intestinal mucosa morphology and promote small intestinal development. Dietary supplementation of 100 mg GSP/kg could be recommended for weaned piglets.