Undernutrition disrupts jejunal and ileal microbiota and epithelial tissue homeostasis in a pregnant sheep model.

ABSTRACT: Nutrition consistently affects microbe-host interactions in the gastrointestinal tract. This study aimed to unravel how undernutrition reshapes the microbial composition and the homeostasis of epithelium in the jejunum and ileum. Sixteen late-gestation Hu-sheep were randomly assigned to the control group (n = 8, 100% ad libitum feeding levels) or the undernutrition group (n = 8, which received 30% ad libitum feeding levels). After 15-d treatment, all ewes were slaughtered, and jejunal and ileal digesta and epithelium samples were collected for 16S rRNA gene sequencing and transcriptome sequencing, respectively. Results indicated that undernutrition decreased the jejunal and ileal tissue weights (P = 0.005 and P = 0.022) and the levels of volatile fatty acids (

SUBMITTER: Wu W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11847739 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature