I. Puzio

Morphological changes of the cartilage and bone in newborn piglets evoked by experimentally induced glucocorticoid excess during pregnancy

The study examined articular and growth plate cartilages as well as bone tissues in the offspring of sows treated with glucocorticoid during the last 45 days of pregnancy (dexamethasone at the dose of 0.03 mg/kg body weight intramuscularly, every second day). The offspring were tested at the birth and basal morphology for both articular and growth plate cartilages, and the histomorphometry of trabeculae of the epiphysis and metaphysis of femur and tibia were established. The concentration of selected cytokines and the activity of bone alkaline phosphatase were determined in blood serum. Maternal dexamethasone (DEX) administration reduced the thickness of proliferative, resting and hypertrophic zones of growth plate of femur and tibia of male piglets when compared with the control. DEX significantly reduced the thickness of the resting zone in both bones. It also elongated proliferative and hypertrophic zones of the growth plate in the femur as well as the hypertrophic zone in the tibia of female piglets when compared with the control group. Moreover, DEX decreased the articular cartilage thickness of the tibia in female piglets and enhanced the articular cartilage thickness of the femur in male piglets. Articular cartilage was highly cellular, and chondrocytes were separated by thin septa of matrix. An analysis of the trabecular bone architecture in male piglets showed a loss of the trabecular bone by thinning and DEX-related increase in trabecular porosity. Moreover, the cortical bone looked similar to the trabeculae because of trabecularization of the cortex. There was a DEX that reduced serum osteocalcin and BAP concentrations in both female and male newborn piglets, whereas the serum IL-1 and Il-6 was reduced only in male piglets. The obtained results demonstrated that DEX administration to sows during the last 45 days of pregnancy might cause the growth to slow and eventually to stop, especially in male piglets. It might lead to an alteration within the cartilage during its normal function, and with the time, arthritic changes can follow.

Postnatal administration of 2-oxoglutaric acid improves the intestinal barrier affected by the prenatal action of dexamethasone in pigs

OBJECTIVE The potential effects of the prenatal administration of dexamethasone and the postnatal treatment with 2-oxoglutaric acid on postnatal development of the small intestine of farm animals have not been examined experimentally. The aim of this study was to establish the changes in morphologic parameters of the small intestine damaged by the prenatal action of dexamethasone in piglets supplemented with 2-oxoglutaric acid. METHODS Three milligrams dexamethasone was administered intramuscularly every second day from day 70 of pregnancy to parturition and then piglets were supplemented with 2-oxoglutaric acid for 35 d of postnatal life (0.4 g/kg of body weight). The histomorphometry of the pig duodenum and jejunum was determined. Immunohistochemical staining with anti-Ki-67, CD3, null T cells, cadherin, claudin, and neurofilament antibodies was performed. RESULTS Maternal treatment with dexamethasone decreased and limited the expression of claudin and cadherin in the epithelium. Dexamethasone led to thinning of the myenteron of the duodenum and the middle part of the jejunum in weaned piglets and influenced duodenal glands that became more elongated compared with control glands. Moreover, 2-oxoglutaric acid increased cell proliferation and the amount and maturity of peripheral blood lymphocytes in the duodenum and jejunum. It supported epithelial integrity and changed the circularity of the nerve plexuses. CONCLUSION The 2-oxoglutaric acid administered to piglets while suckling induced a complete recovery from intestinal damage caused by the prenatal action of dexamethasone.

Effects of Cla and Camelina Sativa Seed Oil on Bone Properties in Broiler Chickens

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and false flax (Camelinasativa) seed oil (CS) on bone quality in broiler chickens. Experiment was carried out on 96 chickens randomly divided into four groups: control group fed diet with sunflower oil (SO) and three experimental groups fed diet with addition of CLA (2.86% starter, 4.32% grower) and diet with addition of CLA (1.43% starter, 2.16% grower) and SO or CS (1.43% starter, 2.16% grower). On the 35th d of life eight birds per treatment were slaughtered and the femur, humerus, and tibia were isolated for further analysis. Using DXA method, bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) were measured. Furthermore, weight and length of bones were assessed. The weight, BMD, and BMC in chickens from CS+CLA group were significantly higher when compared with CLA group. The significant differences were noted for BMC between control and CS+CLA birds. No marked differences of bone parameters were observed between control group and CLA, and SO+CLA groups. In conclusion, the results indicate that false flax oil and CLA can replace sunflower oil in chickens feeding, and demonstrate the effectiveness of false flax oil on the enhancement of bone properties in broiler chickens.

Effect of sodium butyrate and Yucca schidigera extract on bone characteristics in growing pigs

Abstract Introduction: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of diet supplementation with sodium butyrate and Yucca schidigera extract (0.2% and 0.3%) on femur quality of growing pigs (n = 45). Material and Methods: At the age of 28, 35 and 56 d, five piglets from each group fed a different diet were euthanised and the femora were collected for further analyses. The bone characteristics were assessed based on weight, length, densitometric analysis of BMC and BMD, pQCT analysis (area, mineral content, volumetric density of trabecular and cortical part of metaphysis and diaphysis, respectively), ultimate strength, and geometrical parameters (cross-sectional area and second moment of inertia). Results: There were no significant differences in femur bone parameters among experimental groups on the 28th d of life. On the 35th d of life, piglets with 0.2% supplementation of sodium butyrate and Yucca schidigera extract had significantly lower values of weight and second moment of inertia, and significantly higher trabecular BMD and BMC compared to other experimental groups. In 56-day-old pigs, the higher values were observed in both experimental groups regarding BMC, ultimate strength, geometrical parameters, cortical BMC, diaphyseal total area, and endosteal circumference (P < 0.05). Significant differences between experimental groups were observed only in bone weight and cortical thickness. Conclusion: This study proved that simultaneous supplementation with sodium butyrate and Yucca schidigera extract positively influences bone quality in pigs in the post-weaning period. However, there were no differences in bone characteristics between the addition of 0.2% and 0.3% preparations.