Project description:Oral administration of an extract of compost fermented with thermophiles to pigs reduces the incidence of stillbirth and promotes piglet growth. However, the mechanism by which compost extract modulates the physiological conditions of the animals remains largely unknown. Here, we investigate the effects of compost extract on the gene expression in the intestine of the rat as a mammalian model. Gene expression analyses of the intestine indicated that several immune-related genes were upregulated following compost exposure. Thus, thermophile-fermented compost can contain microbes and/or substances that activate the gut mucosal immune response in the rat.
