More attention has been paid in recent times to the application of Broussonetia papyrifera (BP) silage in ruminants, owing to its nutritional value. This study aimed to characterize the functionality of fermented BP and preliminarily explore its dietary effects on the gut health of laying hens. In this study, we characterized the antioxidant and antibacterial activities, bioactive compound profile, and bacterial community in Lactobacillus plantarum-fermented BP (FBP), as well as its dietary effects on intestinal morphology, microbiota and gene expression of laying hens. Improved contents of protein, total polyphenol and flavonoids as well as antioxidant and antibacterial activities were found after fermentation of BP. Untargeted metabolomics displayed more abundant apigenin, luteolin, diosmetin, and quercetin within the FBP, which may contribute to its functionality. Microbiome demonstrated increased abundance of Firmicutes at the expense of Cyanobacteria phylum, accompanied with raised levels of Lactobacillus genus. The results of a feeding trial showed dietary FBP supplementation increased the serum superoxide dismutase, but down-regulated gene expression of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), mucin2, and ZO-2, without obviously affecting the intestinal morphology and colonic microbiota. These findings suggest that FBP warrants further investigation as it may serve as a functional dietary supplement in laying hen feed.

Bile acids (BAs) are crucial for maintaining intestinal epithelial homeostasis. However, the metabolic changes in BAs and the communication between intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in infants after birth remain unclear. This study aims to elucidate the BA profiles of newborn piglets (NPs) and suckling piglets (SPs), and to investigate their regulatory effects on IEC proliferation and barrier integrity, as well as the potential underlying mechanisms. In this study, compared with NPs, there were significant increases in serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, glucose, and albumin levels for SPs. The total serum BA content in SPs exhibited an obvious increase. Moreover, the expression of BA synthase cytochrome P450 27A1 (CYP27A1) was increased, and the ileal BA receptor Takeda G-coupled protein receptor 5 (TGR5) and proliferation marker Ki-67 were upregulated and showed a strong positive correlation through a Spearman correlation analysis, whereas the expression of farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and occludin was markedly downregulated in SPs and also revealed a strong positive correlation. These findings indicate that the increased synthesis and metabolism of BAs may upregulate TGR5 and downregulate FXR to promote IEC proliferation and influence barrier function; this offers a fresh perspective and evidence for the role of BAs and BA receptors in regulating intestinal development in neonatal pigs.

Eucommia ulmoides leaf extract (ELE) boasts a high concentration of bioactive components including flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, and polysaccharides. It exhibits multiple biological functions, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and gut microbiota-modulating properties, showing great potential in enhancing immunity, maintaining intestinal health, and delaying cellular senescence. This study investigated the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of ELE against D-galactose-induced senescence in chick embryo primary intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Using an in vitro model (200 mmol/L D-galactose), we found that 100 µg/mL ELE pretreatment significantly preserved cell viability, mitigated apoptosis, and delayed cellular senescence, as evidenced by cytological and biochemical assays. Furthermore, RNA-seq transcriptomic analysis identified seven key differentially expressed genes (DEGs) mediating these anti-aging effects. Mechanistic investigations revealed that ELE modulates ATP6V0D2 and NCF2 to activate autophagy signaling pathways. This ELE-induced promotion of autophagy effectively suppresses inflammatory responses in IECs, thereby delaying senescence progression. These findings elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which ELE antagonizes intestinal cellular senescence, providing a solid theoretical foundation for its development as a functional anti-aging additive in the food industry.