Intestinal fatty acid binding protein and dipeptide transporter 1 mRNA in the small intestinal mucosa of weaner piglets: developmental expression and influence of glutamine.

This study was conducted to investigate the developmental expression of intestinal fatty acid binding protein(I-FABP) and dipeptide transporter 1(PEPT1) mRNA in the small intestinal mucosa of weaner piglets and the influence of glutamine(Gln).Sixty nine crossed piglets(Duroc×Landrace×Large white) aged(21±3) d were used as the exprimental animals,3 piglets were slaughted at the day of weaning,and the rest 66 piglets were divided into two gruops with 3 replicates in each group and 11 piglets per relicate.Piglets in the control group and the experimental group were fed a basal diet and the basal diet+1% Gln,respectively.Three piglets were slaughtered at 3,5,7 and 14 d after weaning,respectively.Mucosal tissues were collected from the duodenum,jejunum and ileum.Real-time PCR was applied to determine the mRNA expressions of I-FABP and PEPT1.The results showed as follows: 1) no significant difference was observed in the mRNA expression levels of I-FABP and PEPT1 in the duodenum,jejunum and ileum(P0.05);2) the mRNA expression levels of I-FABP and PEPT1 in the duodenum,jejunum and ileum were decreased obviously due to the weaning,and the expression levels of piglets at the 3rd day postweaning reached the lowest and were significantly lower than those at the wearning day(P0.05),then the expression levels were increased and reached a peak at the 14th day postweaning;3) there was no significant difference in mRNA expression levels of I-FABP and PEPT1 between the control group and the experimental group(P0.05),however,the experimental group showed a trend that I-FABP mRNA expression level in the duodemum,jejunum and ileum as well as PEPT1 mRNA expression level in the duodemum recovered to normal levels early.The results indicate that the mRNA expression levels of I-FABP and PEPT1 in the duodenum,jejunum and ileum of weaner piglets change over time,and Gln plays a role in promoting the recovery of I-FABP and PEPT1 mRNA expression levels of weaner piglets.