Introducing high numbers of lactic acid bacteria into the gastrointestinal tract of pigs via fermented liquid feed (FLF) could have an impact on intestinal bacterial ecosystems. Twenty piglets were allocated into four groups and fed a botanically identical liquid diet that was offered either non-fermented (twice), fully fermented or partially fermented but supplemented with 40% of non-fermented coarse cereals. Microbiota studies were performed on the small and large intestine digesta and faecal samples. A 16S rRNA gene amplification was performed within the hypervariable region V4 and sequenced with the Illumina MiSeq platform. R (version 3.5.2) was used for the statistical analyses. The digesta of the small intestines of pigs fed FLF were dominated by Lactobacillaceae (relative abundance up to 95%). In the colonic contents, the abundance of Lactobacillaceae was significantly higher only in the pigs fed the FLF supplemented with non-fermented coarse cereals. Additionally, the digesta of the small and large intestines as well as in the faeces of the pigs fed the FLF supplemented with non-fermented coarse cereals were significantly enriched for two operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to the genus Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The FLF supplemented with non-fermented coarse cereals had probiotic and prebiotic-like impacts on the intestinal and faecal bacterial composition of pigs.

Purpose: The melatonin receptor (MT) agonist ramelteon has a higher affinity to MT1 than for MT2 receptors and induces cardioprotection by involvement of mitochondrial potassium channels. Activation of mitochondrial potassium channels leads to release of free radicals. We investigated whether (1) ramelteon-induced cardioprotection is MT2 receptor specific and (2) if free radicals are involved in ramelteon-induced cardioprotection.Methods: Hearts of male Wistar rats were randomized, placed on a Langendorff system, and perfused with Krebs-Henseleit buffer at a constant pressure of 80 mmHg. All hearts were subjected to 33 min of global ischemia and 60 min of reperfusion. Before ischemia hearts were perfused with ramelteon (Ram) with or without the MT2 receptor inhibitor 4-phenyl-2-propionamidotetralin (4P-PDOT+Ram, 4P-PDOT). In subsequent experiments, ramelteon was administered together with the radical oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-2-mercaptopropionylglycine (MPG+Ram). To determine whether the blockade of ramelteon-induced cardioprotection can be restored, we combined ramelteon and MPG with mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA) at different time points. Infarct size was determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining.Results: Ramelteon-induced infarct size reduction was completely blocked by 4P-PDOT and MPG. Ramelteon and MPG combined with CsA before ischemia were not cardioprotective but CsA at the onset of reperfusion could restore infarct size reduction.Conclusions: This study shows for the first time that despite the higher affinity to MT1 receptors, (1) ramelteon-induced cardioprotection involves MT2 receptors, (2) cardioprotection requires ROS release, and (3) inhibition of the mPTP can restore infarct size reduction.