Inflammation accompanies hepatic dysfunction resulting from tissue oxidative damage. Naringenin (Nar), a natural flavanone, has known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, but its mechanism of action in the regulation of liver dysfunction requires further investigation. In this study, the role of naringenin in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced hepatic oxidative stress and inflammation was explored, as well as its mechanism by transcriptome sequencing. The results indicated that compared with the LPS group, Nar treatment caused a significant increase in the mRNA levels of antioxidant factors glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) and glutamate-cysteine ligase modifier subunit (GCLM), yet the expression of related inflammatory factors (MCP1, TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6) showed less of an increase. RNA sequencing identified 36 differentially expressed lncRNAs and 603 differentially expressed mRNAs. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that oxidative stress and inflammation pathways are meticulously linked with naringenin treatment. The Co-lncRNA-mRNA network was also constructed. Tissue expression profiles showed that lncRNA played a higher role in the liver. Subsequently, expression levels of inflammatory factors indicated that lncRNAs and target mRNAs were significantly reduced after naringenin treatment in mouse liver AML12 cells and obese mouse. These results suggest that naringenin helps to prevent liver dysfunction through the regulation of lncRNA-mRNA axis to reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory factors.

Cold stress influences intestinal processes, causing physiological and immunological responses in animals. Intestinal microbiota participates in maintaining the stability of the intestinal environment. However, phenotypic characteristics and the effects of porcine microbiota changes under cold conditions remain poorly understood. Here, the fecal microbiota of cold tolerant breed (Mashen) and cold sensitive breed (Duroc-Landrace-Yorkshire) was transferred to germ-free mice, respectively. After a cold exposure (4°C) for 21 days, intestinal function and microbe changes of mice were explored. The results showed that Mashen pigs microbiota transplantation made the body temperature of the mice stable, in which the fat weight and expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1B (Cpt1b), and Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator (PGC-1α) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than those of the control group. The results of intestinal structure and expression of serum inflammatory factors showed that fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) mice have more intact intestinal structure and high expression of proinflammatory factor such as interleukin-4 (IL-4). The study of mice fecal microbiome characterized via 16S rRNA sequencing found that pig microbiota transplantation changed the abundance of Firmicutes. In addition, it identified discriminative features of Firmicutes in the microbiota between two breeds of pig, in which Clostridiaceae were enriched in the microbiota community of Mashen pig and Coriobacteriales were significantly (P < 0.05) enriched in the Duroc-Landrace-Yorkshire pig microbiota transplantation group based on linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe) analysis. Finally, we found that the content of propionic acid and butyric acid in rectal contents significantly changed and the abundances of Clostridium and Lachnospira showed significant correlations with changes in short-chain fatty acids. The results suggest that pig fecal microbiota transplantation can alleviate the changes in physiological and biochemical indicators in mice caused by cold exposure. Mice have gut microbes altered and improved gut barrier function via fecal microbiota transplantation in pigs.

In the swine industry, meat quality, color, and texture are influenced by the excessive differentiation of fat cells. miRNAs have emerged as integral regulators of adipose development. This study delves into the influence of miR-10a-5b on the proliferation and differentiation of pig preadipocytes. Our findings reveal that miR-10a-5b is prevalent across various tissues. It hinders preadipocyte proliferation, amplifies the expression of adipogenic genes, promotes lipid accumulation, and, as a result, advances preadipocyte differentiation. We predict that KLF11 is the target gene of miRNA. A dual-fluorescence reporter assay was conducted to validate the binding sites of miR-10a-5b on the 3′UTR of the KLF11 mRNA. Results showed that miR-10a-5b targeted KLF11 3′UTR and reduced the fluorescence activity of the dual-fluorescent reporter vector. Our research also indicates that miR-10a-5b targets and downregulates the expression of both mRNA and the protein levels of KLF11. During the differentiation of the preadipocytes, KLF11 inhibited adipose differentiation and was able to suppress the promotion of adipose differentiation by miR-10a-5b. This underscores miR-10a-5b’s potential as a significant regulator of preadipocyte behavior by modulating KLF11 expression, offering insights into the role of functional miRNAs in fat deposition.

Ambient temperature (Ta) fluctuation is a key factor affecting the growth performance and economic returns of pigs. However, whether the response of intestinal structure and function are related to pig breeds in low Ta has not been investigated yet. In this study, Large White (LW) pigs, Jinfen White (JFW) pigs and Mashen (MS) pigs were raised in artificial climate chambers under normal Ta (25 °C) and low Ta (4 °C) for 96 h. Afterwards, the decrease in body temperature and complete blood counts (CBC) of all pigs were measured. Hematoxylin–eosin, immunohistochemical staining, qPCR and ELISA were used to investigate their intestinal mucosa integrity and inflammatory response. The results showed that MS pigs could maintain a normal body temperature and villus structure after 4 °C stimulation compared with those of LW and JFW pigs. Villus height and villus height/crypt depth of MS pigs were significantly higher than those of LW and JFW pigs at 4 °C. Low-Ta stimulation increased the digestion of carbohydrates of all pigs. Meanwhile, low Ta enhanced the activity of lipase in LW pigs and increased trypsin activity in MS and JFW pigs. Furthermore, low-Ta stimulation significantly downregulated the protein of tight junction and upregulated the mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines in MS pigs. MS pigs also showed stronger spleen immune function at 4 °C. These results indicated that the local MS pig breed had stronger intestinal function in low Ta by producing a stronger inflammatory response, which lays the foundation for further study on the mechanism of cold tolerance in pigs.

Biological fermentation can improve animal growth performance and meat quality by optimizing feed nutritional properties. However, the complex fermentation parameters require further systematic optimization. This study aimed to establish and optimize a solid-state fermentation (SSF) process, evaluate changes in the feed microbial community and flavor metabolites, and investigate their effects on muscle development and intestinal barrier function in growing pigs. Here, we developed a synergistic SSF strategy for pig feed using combinations of 4 probiotics and 11 enzymatic preparations, 16S rDNA-seq and flavoromics-seq were employed to investigate the dynamic changes in microbial communities and flavor compounds post-fermentation. Subsequently, 32 Duroc × Jinfen White pigs were fed diets containing 10% SSF to assess growth performance, intestinal health and muscle development. The optimal fermentation ratio of Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus niger is 1:2:3:3, with a temperature of 36 °C, an inoculation rate of 93%, a moisture content of 72%, and a time of 4.1 days. SSF significantly enhanced the nutritional value of feed by increasing the ash, organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), and ether extract (EE) content, while simultaneously reducing the concentration of anti-nutritional factors. Sequencing identified 17 differential microbes and 116 flavor compounds, with the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and the Firmicutes significantly increased, 2-octenal and vanillin imparting sweet, fruity, and grassy notes to the feed. Meanwhile, RNA-seq revealed 320 DEGs in muscle tissue following fermented feed supplementation, which are mainly enriched in pathways related to cytochrome P450 drug metabolism and arginine biosynthesis. Additionally, H&E staining results indicated that fermentation significantly increased the villus height, crypt depth, and villus-to-crypt ratio in the small intestine of growing pigs, and the levels of tight junction proteins Claudin-1 and ZO-1 in the jejunum were significantly higher than those in the ctrl group. Subsequent correlation analysis indicated that Firmicutes may influence pig growth performance and IL-6, TNF-α levels by affecting their metabolites. Our findings establish and optimize an SSF process that markedly elevates feed nutritional value, enriches beneficial microbes, and fosters the production of unique flavor metabolites. When fed to growing pigs, it effectively enhances growth performance and antioxidant capacity while improving small-intestinal morphology and barrier function. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s42523-026-00540-1.

Pigs are susceptible to cold stress due to the absence of brown fat caused by the partial deletion of uncoupling protein 1 during their evolution. Some local pig breeds in China, exhibit potential cold adaptability, but research has primarily focused on fat and intestinal tissues. Skeletal muscle plays a key role in adaptive thermogenesis in mammals, yet the molecular mechanism of cold adaptation in porcine skeletal muscle remains poorly understood. This study investigated the cold adaptability of two pig breeds, Mashen pigs (MS) and Large White pigs (LW), in a 4-day cold (4°C) or room temperature (25°C) environment. We recorded phenotypic changes and collected blood, and longissimus dorsi muscle for transcriptome sequencing. Finally, a candidate gene was randomly selected for functional exploration in porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells. A decrease in body temperature and body weight in both LW and MS pigs under cold stress, accompanied by increased shivering frequency and respiratory frequency. However, MS pigs demonstrated stable physiological homeostasis, indicating a certain level of cold adaptability. LW pigs primarily responded to cold stress by regulating heat production and Glycolipid energy metabolism. MS pigs exhibited a distinct response to cold stress, involving regulation of heat production, energy metabolism pathways, robust fatty acid oxidation ability, and stronger immune response. Furthermore, the functional exploration of PRSS8 in porcine skeletal muscle satellite cells revealed it affected cellular energy metabolism and thermogenesis by regulating ERK phosphorylation. These findings shed light on the diverse transcriptional responses of skeletal muscle in LW and MS pigs under cold stress, offering valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying cold adaptation in pigs.