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Chitosan-Zn Chelate Increases Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Improves Immune Function in Weaned Piglets

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Abstract

This experiment was performed in order to investigate the effects of chitosan-Zn chelate (CS-Zn) on activities of antioxidant enzymes and immune function in weaned piglets. One hundred and twenty weaned piglets (Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire) with 7.12 ± 0.25 kg body weight were allotted to four treatments. A basal diet without Zn supplementation was used as control group. The other three treatments were fed the control diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg Zn as ZnSO4, 100 mg/kg Zn as CS-Zn, 100 mg/kg Zn as ZnSO4 and chitosan (the content of chitosan was the same as that of CS-Zn), respectively. The feeding trial lasted 30 days. Spleen index of pigs fed dietary CS-Zn was higher (p < 0.05) than that of control pigs. Thymus index and lymph node index did not differ among the pigs fed any diets (p > 0.05). T-AOC levels, Cu-ZnSOD, and GSH-PX activities in serum or liver of the pigs receiving CS-Zn diet were higher than those of the pigs fed CS+ZnSO4 or ZnSO4 diets (p < 0.05). These pigs fed dietary CS-Zn also showed lower MDA content in liver compared with the pigs fed other diets (p < 0.05). Serum IgA, complement 3, and complement 4 levels of pig fed dietary CS-Zn was higher than those of the pigs fed other diets (p < 0.05). Supplemental dietary Zn did not change serum IgG and IgM levels (p > 0.05). The ALP activity of pigs fed dietary CS-Zn was higher than those of the pigs fed other three diets (p < 0.05). No significant differences were founded in serum GOT or GPT activities of pigs fed dietary Zn (p > 0.05). The results of the present study indicated that chitosan-Zn chelate could increase antioxidant capacity and improve immune function in weaned piglets compared with ZnSO4 or chitosan.

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Acknowledgments

This work was financed by the National Science Foundation (31272477). The authors thank Bojing Liu and Ya-Li Zhang for their skillful technical assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science in East China, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 388 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, People’s Republic of China

    Yuanfei Ma, Mengyuan Lv, Zhipeng Wu, Zhengjun Xie, Xinyan Han & Yizhen Wang

  2. Key Laboratory for Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnology of Fujian Universities, College of Life Science, Longyan University, No. 1 Dongxaio North Road, Longyan, 364000, People’s Republic of China

    Qichun Huang

  3. College of Animal Science, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Road, Hangzhou, 310058, People’s Republic of China

    Xinyan Han

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  1. Yuanfei Ma
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Correspondence to Xinyan Han.

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Ma, Y., Huang, Q., Lv, M. et al. Chitosan-Zn Chelate Increases Antioxidant Enzyme Activity and Improves Immune Function in Weaned Piglets. Biol Trace Elem Res 158, 45–50 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-9910-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-014-9910-1

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