{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,16]],"date-time":"2026-10-16T13:02:16Z","timestamp":1792155736600,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2019,8,24]],"date-time":"2019-08-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1566604800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"The National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["31702124"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["31702124"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"The International Science &amp; Technology Cooperation Foundation, Sichuan, China","award":["2016HH0004"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2016HH0004"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>This study investigated \u03b2-glucan derived from Agrobacterium sp. ZX09 with high (2000 kDa) and low (300 kDa) molecular weight (MW) to compare their effects on growth performance and gut function in LPS-induced weaned piglets. Changes in jejunal morphology, mucosal barrier function, microbial populations, and fermentation in the piglets were determined. Data showed that \u03b2-glucan prevented body weight loss in LPS challenged piglets. Supplementation with both \u03b2-glucan fractions improved jejunal morphology. Compared to low MW, \u03b2-glucan of high MW generally up-regulated transcripts of ZO-1, MUC1, and MUC2 in jejunal mucosa to a lesser extent. Mucosal D-lactate, diamine oxidase, and anti-oxidation index were effectively resumed in \u03b2-glucan treatment. Both \u03b2-glucan diets provoked the emergence of a balanced microbiota and a richer concentration of volatile fatty acids in the colon. The richest community of bifidobacterium and concentration of butyrate emerged after feeding \u03b2-glucan with high MW. Results suggested that the effect of Agrobacterium sp. ZX09 \u03b2-glucans on the gut-modulatory function is largely linked to their MW. Low MW \u03b2-glucan mainly improved the mucosal barrier function in the jejunum, while high MW \u03b2-glucan had profound effects on the microbial community and fermentation in the hindgut of piglets.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani9090602","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2019,8,26]],"date-time":"2019-08-26T04:38:23Z","timestamp":1566794303000},"page":"602","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":39,"title":["Purified \u03b2-glucans of Different Molecular Weights Enhance Growth Performance of LPS-challenged Piglets via Improved Gut Barrier Function and Microbiota"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1024-1866","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Junqiu","family":"Luo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8351-7421","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Daiwen","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6292-7747","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xiangbing","family":"Mao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1963-9766","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jun","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-6605-6742","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bing","family":"Yu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Animal Nutrition, Sichuan Agricultural University, and Key Laboratory of Animal Disease Resistance Nutrition Ministry of Education, Chengdu 611130, Sichuan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8483-0495","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Long","family":"Cheng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Dookie Campus, VIC 3647, Australia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dafu","family":"Zeng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Sichuan Synlight Biotech Ltd., Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,8,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1027","DOI":"10.3109\/10715762.2013.848277","article-title":"Birth oxidative stress and the development of an antioxidant system in newborn piglets","volume":"47","author":"Yin","year":"2013","journal-title":"Free Radical Res."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"612","DOI":"10.2527\/jas.2013-6986","article-title":"Development of an antioxidant system after early weaning in piglets","volume":"92","author":"Yin","year":"2014","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2014.10.012","article-title":"Dietary supplementation with yeast product improves intestinal function, and serum and ileal amino acid contents in weaned piglets","volume":"171","author":"Xiong","year":"2015","journal-title":"Livest. Sci."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1079","DOI":"10.1017\/S1751731113000165","article-title":"Analysis of bacterial community shifts in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs fed diets supplemented with \u03b2-glucan from Laminaria digitata, Laminaria hyperborea and Saccharomyces cerevisiae","volume":"7","author":"Murphy","year":"2013","journal-title":"Animal"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"56","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biortech.2015.08.025","article-title":"Long-term effect of pH on short-chain fatty acids accumulation and microbial community in sludge fermentation systems","volume":"197","author":"Yuan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Bioresour. Technol."},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"162","DOI":"10.1016\/j.nutres.2014.12.006","article-title":"Wholegrain barley \u03b2-glucan fermentation dose not improve glucose tolerance in rats fed a high-fat diet","volume":"35","author":"Belobrajdic","year":"2015","journal-title":"Nutr. Res."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"144","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anifeedsci.2016.03.009","article-title":"Effects of dietary yeast \u03b2-glucans supplementation on growth performance, gut morphology, intestinal Clostridium perfringens population and immune response of brioler chickens challenged with necrotic enteritis","volume":"215","author":"Tian","year":"2016","journal-title":"Anim. Feed Sci. Tech."},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"107","DOI":"10.1016\/j.dci.2016.06.022","article-title":"Dietary \u03b2-glucan enhances the contents of complement component 3 and factor B in eggs of zebrafish","volume":"65","author":"Jiang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Dev. Comp. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"209","DOI":"10.1080\/09712119.2016.1141775","article-title":"\u03b2-glucan from mulberry leaves and curcuma can improve growth performance and nutrient digestibility in early weaned pigs","volume":"45","author":"Lee","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Appl. Anim. Res."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"749","DOI":"10.1016\/S2095-3119(14)60843-1","article-title":"Effects of dietary yeasr \u03b2-glucan on nutrient digestibility and serum profiles in pre-reminant Holstein calves","volume":"14","author":"Ma","year":"2015","journal-title":"J. Integr. Agric."},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1226","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114511006751","article-title":"Effect of purified \u03b2-glucans derived from Laminaria digitata, Laminaria hyperborean and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on piglet performance, selected bacterial populations, volatile fatty acids and pro-inflammatory cytokines in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs","volume":"108","author":"Sweeney","year":"2012","journal-title":"Brit. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"442","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2016.01.003","article-title":"Structural thermal, functional, antioxidant & antimicrobial properties of \u03b2-d-glucan extracted from baker\u2019s yeast (Saccharomyces cereviseae)\u2014Effect of \u03b3-irradiation","volume":"140","author":"Khan","year":"2016","journal-title":"Carbohyd. Polym."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2075","DOI":"10.1016\/j.carbpol.2012.11.092","article-title":"Generic tools to assess genuine carbohydrate specific effects on in vitro immune modulation exemplified by \u03b2-glucans","volume":"92","author":"Rieder","year":"2013","journal-title":"Carbohyd. Polym."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"254","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114512000980","article-title":"A novel soluble \u03b2-1,3-d-glucan salecan reduces adiposity and improves glucose tolerance in high-fat diet-fed mice","volume":"109","author":"Zhang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Brit. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"350","DOI":"10.1021\/ac60111a017","article-title":"Colorimetric Method for Determination of Sugars and Related Substances","volume":"28","author":"DuBios","year":"1956","journal-title":"Anal. Chem."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"883","DOI":"10.1007\/s10482-015-0380-z","article-title":"Effects of Lactobacillus acidophilus dietary supplementation on the performance, intestinal barrier function, rectal microflora and serum immune function in weaned piglets challenged with Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide","volume":"107","author":"Qiao","year":"2015","journal-title":"Anton. Van. Leeuw."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Liu, J., Zhang, Y., Li, Y., Yan, H., and Zhang, H. (2019). L-Tryptophan Enhances Intestinal Integrity in Diquat-Challenged Piglets Associated with Improvement of Redox Status and Mitochondrial Function. Animal, 9.","DOI":"10.3390\/ani9050266"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"668","DOI":"10.3945\/jn.111.153007","article-title":"Oat \u03b2-glucan and dietary Calcium and phosphorus differentially modify intestinal expression of proinflammatory cytokines and monocarboxylate transporter 1 and cecal morphology in weaned pigs","volume":"142","author":"Ganzle","year":"2012","journal-title":"J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1869","DOI":"10.1007\/s11033-011-0932-x","article-title":"Effects of different starch sources on Bacillus spp. in intestinal tract and expression of intestinal development related genes of weanling piglets","volume":"39","author":"Han","year":"2012","journal-title":"Mol. Biol. Rep."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"3704","article-title":"Effects of different dietary protein sources on cecal microflora in rats","volume":"10","author":"Qi","year":"2011","journal-title":"Afr. J. Biotechnol."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2904","DOI":"10.2527\/2002.80112904x","article-title":"Characterization of microbial populations and volatile fatty acid concentrations in the jejunum, ileum, and cecum of pigs weaned at 17 vs 24 days of age","volume":"80","author":"Franklin","year":"2002","journal-title":"J. Anim. Sci."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"11","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2016.10.028","article-title":"Impact of purified oat 1-3,1-4-\u03b2-d-glucan of different molecular weight on alleviation of inflammation parameters during gastritis","volume":"28","author":"Suchecka","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"85","DOI":"10.1016\/j.anifeedsci.2012.10.008","article-title":"Effect of dietary \u03b2-glucan on growth performance, fecal microbial shedding and immunological responses after lipopolysaccharide challenge in weaned pigs","volume":"179","author":"Zhou","year":"2013","journal-title":"Anim. Feed Sci. Tech."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1499","DOI":"10.1128\/CVI.00338-12","article-title":"Intestinal and systemic immune development and response to vaccination are unaffected by dietary (1,3\/1,6)-\u03b2-D-glucan supplementation in neonatal piglets","volume":"19","author":"Hester","year":"2012","journal-title":"Clin. Vaccine Immunol."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1177","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ijbiomac.2016.06.062","article-title":"Hepato- and gastro- protective activity of purified oat 1-3,1-4-\u03b2-D-glucans of different molecular weight","volume":"91","author":"Suchecka","year":"2016","journal-title":"Int. J. Biol. Macromol."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"752","DOI":"10.1631\/jzus.B1500192","article-title":"Effects of yeast products on the intestinal morphology, barrier function, cytokine expression, and antioxidant system of weaned piglets","volume":"17","author":"Yang","year":"2016","journal-title":"Zhejiang Univ-Sci. B (Biomed. Biotechnol.)"},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"433","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jff.2017.07.061","article-title":"Immune effects of \u03b2-glucan are determined by combied effects on Dectin-1, TLR2, 4 and 5","volume":"37","author":"Kanjan","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Funct. Foods."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"102","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livsci.2014.06.027","article-title":"Changes inrelative molecular weight distribution of soluble barley beta-glucan during passage through the small intestine of pigs","volume":"168","author":"Holtekjolen","year":"2014","journal-title":"Livest. Sci."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e254","DOI":"10.1111\/jpn.12736","article-title":"Dietary pea fibre alters the microbial community and fermentation with increase in fibre degradation-associated bacterial groups in the colon of pigs","volume":"102","author":"Luo","year":"2018","journal-title":"J. Anim. Physiol. Anim. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1837","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114513001293","article-title":"Dietary fiber affects intestinal mucosal barrier function and regulated intestinal bacteria in weaning piglets","volume":"110","author":"Chen","year":"2013","journal-title":"Brit. J. Nutr."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"388","DOI":"10.1080\/01635581.2014.884229","article-title":"Long-term intake of pea fiber affects colonic barrier function, bacterial and transcriptional profile in pig model","volume":"66","author":"Che","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nutr. Cancer"},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"669","DOI":"10.1017\/S0007114510004277","article-title":"The effects of laminarin derived from Laminaria digitat on measurements of gut health: Selected bacterial populations, intestinal fermentation, mucin gene expression and cytokine gene expression in the pig","volume":"105","author":"Smith","year":"2011","journal-title":"Brit. J. Nutr."}],"container-title":["Animals"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/9\/9\/602\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T13:13:42Z","timestamp":1760188422000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2076-2615\/9\/9\/602"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2019,8,24]]},"references-count":32,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2019,9]]}},"alternative-id":["ani9090602"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/ani9090602","relation":{},"ISSN":["2076-2615"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2076-2615","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2019,8,24]]}}}