Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier Function
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), a highly contagious enteric disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, leading to high mortality in newborn piglets and significant economic losses in the swine industry. The shortage of effe...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Viruses |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/920 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849418853163991040 |
|---|---|
| author | Tingting Hu Yunhao Liu Sihui Gao Xiaonan Zhao Huangzuo Cheng Youjun Hu Huaqiao Tang Zhiwen Xu Chunlin Fang |
| author_facet | Tingting Hu Yunhao Liu Sihui Gao Xiaonan Zhao Huangzuo Cheng Youjun Hu Huaqiao Tang Zhiwen Xu Chunlin Fang |
| author_sort | Tingting Hu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), a highly contagious enteric disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, leading to high mortality in newborn piglets and significant economic losses in the swine industry. The shortage of effective PED vaccines emphasizes the need to explore potent natural compounds for therapeutic intervention. It has been shown that glycerol monolaurate (GML) effectively inhibits PEDV replication in vivo and in vitro. Further investigation is needed to assess whether complex medium-chain triglycerides (CMCTs), composed of glyceryl tricaprylate/caprate (GTCC) and GML, offer an efficient anti-PEDV activity. In this study, piglets were orally infected with PEDV and exhibited typical clinical signs, including diarrhea and vomiting, accompanied by intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue damage. CMCTs were administered orally twice daily for one week. In vivo findings indicate that CMCT treatment alleviated clinical signs and prevented weight loss. It significantly increased serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, and IgA) and intestinal mucosal sIgA and MUC-2 levels, while reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17) and increasing antiviral interferons (IFN-α and IFN-γ), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10), and IL-22. Antioxidant enzyme activities (T-AOC, SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT) were elevated, whereas oxidative stress markers (iNOS, NO, and MDA) were decreased. Expression of intestinal tight junction proteins claudin-1 and ZO-1 was restored. Moreover, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell populations increased, and the functions of regulatory T cells (Tregs) were restored. Gut microbiota analysis showed increased beneficial genera (<i>Streptococcus</i> and <i>Ligilactobacillus</i>) and decreased pathogenic <i>Escherichia-Shigella</i>. These results demonstrate that CMCTs mitigate PEDV infection by enhancing anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and intestinal barrier function, as well as modulating gut microbiota composition. This study improves the understanding of the pathogenesis of PEDV and highlights CMCTs as a promising therapeutic candidate for PED. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-ca5822d893654f0fbd0e2abf528bc14c |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj-art-ca5822d893654f0fbd0e2abf528bc14c2025-08-20T03:32:19ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-06-0117792010.3390/v17070920Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier FunctionTingting Hu0Yunhao Liu1Sihui Gao2Xiaonan Zhao3Huangzuo Cheng4Youjun Hu5Huaqiao Tang6Zhiwen Xu7Chunlin Fang8Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Chengdu Agricultural College, Chengdu 611130, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaInnovation Center of Guangdong Nuacid Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Qingyuan 511545, ChinaInnovation Center of Guangdong Nuacid Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Qingyuan 511545, ChinaInnovation Center of Guangdong Nuacid Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Qingyuan 511545, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611130, ChinaDepartment of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Science, Chengdu Agricultural College, Chengdu 611130, ChinaPorcine epidemic diarrhea (PED), a highly contagious enteric disease caused by the porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), is characterized by vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration, leading to high mortality in newborn piglets and significant economic losses in the swine industry. The shortage of effective PED vaccines emphasizes the need to explore potent natural compounds for therapeutic intervention. It has been shown that glycerol monolaurate (GML) effectively inhibits PEDV replication in vivo and in vitro. Further investigation is needed to assess whether complex medium-chain triglycerides (CMCTs), composed of glyceryl tricaprylate/caprate (GTCC) and GML, offer an efficient anti-PEDV activity. In this study, piglets were orally infected with PEDV and exhibited typical clinical signs, including diarrhea and vomiting, accompanied by intestinal inflammation, oxidative stress, and tissue damage. CMCTs were administered orally twice daily for one week. In vivo findings indicate that CMCT treatment alleviated clinical signs and prevented weight loss. It significantly increased serum immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, and IgA) and intestinal mucosal sIgA and MUC-2 levels, while reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-17) and increasing antiviral interferons (IFN-α and IFN-γ), anti-inflammatory cytokines (IL-4 and IL-10), and IL-22. Antioxidant enzyme activities (T-AOC, SOD, GSH-Px, and CAT) were elevated, whereas oxidative stress markers (iNOS, NO, and MDA) were decreased. Expression of intestinal tight junction proteins claudin-1 and ZO-1 was restored. Moreover, CD4<sup>+</sup> and CD8<sup>+</sup> T cell populations increased, and the functions of regulatory T cells (Tregs) were restored. Gut microbiota analysis showed increased beneficial genera (<i>Streptococcus</i> and <i>Ligilactobacillus</i>) and decreased pathogenic <i>Escherichia-Shigella</i>. These results demonstrate that CMCTs mitigate PEDV infection by enhancing anti-inflammation, antioxidation, and intestinal barrier function, as well as modulating gut microbiota composition. This study improves the understanding of the pathogenesis of PEDV and highlights CMCTs as a promising therapeutic candidate for PED.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/920porcine epidemic diarrhea viruscomplex medium-chain triglyceridesglyceryl tricaprylate/caprateglycerol monolauratepigletsintestinal barrier functions |
| spellingShingle | Tingting Hu Yunhao Liu Sihui Gao Xiaonan Zhao Huangzuo Cheng Youjun Hu Huaqiao Tang Zhiwen Xu Chunlin Fang Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier Function Viruses porcine epidemic diarrhea virus complex medium-chain triglycerides glyceryl tricaprylate/caprate glycerol monolaurate piglets intestinal barrier functions |
| title | Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier Function |
| title_full | Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier Function |
| title_fullStr | Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier Function |
| title_full_unstemmed | Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier Function |
| title_short | Complex Medium-Chain Triglycerides Mitigate Porcine Epidemic Diarrhea Virus Infection in Piglets by Enhancing Anti-Inflammation, Antioxidation, and Intestinal Barrier Function |
| title_sort | complex medium chain triglycerides mitigate porcine epidemic diarrhea virus infection in piglets by enhancing anti inflammation antioxidation and intestinal barrier function |
| topic | porcine epidemic diarrhea virus complex medium-chain triglycerides glyceryl tricaprylate/caprate glycerol monolaurate piglets intestinal barrier functions |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/7/920 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT tingtinghu complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT yunhaoliu complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT sihuigao complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT xiaonanzhao complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT huangzuocheng complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT youjunhu complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT huaqiaotang complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT zhiwenxu complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction AT chunlinfang complexmediumchaintriglyceridesmitigateporcineepidemicdiarrheavirusinfectioninpigletsbyenhancingantiinflammationantioxidationandintestinalbarrierfunction |