Spermine: new insights into the intestinal development and serum antioxidant status of suckling piglets

Abstract

The present work aimed at investigating the effects of spermine supplementation and extended spermine administration on the intestinal morphology, enzyme activity, and serum antioxidant capacity of suckling piglets. Eighty piglets were randomly assigned to two groups, i.e., those with adequate nutrient intake supplemented with spermine (0.4 mmol kg⁻¹ body weight) or those with restricted nutrient intake supplemented with saline. The piglets were fed in pairs for 7 h or 3, 6, or 9 days. The results of analysis are as follows: (1) the villus height, villus width, villus : crypt ratio, and villus surface area in the jejunum of spermine-treated piglets significantly increased by 17.39%, 21.56%, 45.22%, and 45.45%, respectively, compared with those of the control. The specific activities of sucrase, maltase, and diamine oxidase in this organ also significantly increased by 34.55%, 12.77%, and 10.00%, respectively, but lactase activity decreased by 22.56% (spermine group vs. the control group). Extended spermine administration significantly increased jejunal development. (2) Compared with those of the control group, the ileum of the piglets in the spermine group showed significant increases in villus height, villus width, villus : crypt ratio, and villus surface area of 25.64%, 21.61%, 61.05%, and 52.94%, respectively. The specific activities of sucrase, alkaline phosphatase, and diamine oxidase in this organ significantly increased by 24.36%, 5.56%, and 20.23%, respectively, but lactase activity decreased by 39.08%. Extended spermine administration also significantly enhanced ileal development. (3) Compared with the control piglets, spermine promoted increases in catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and anti-superoxide anion (ASA) activities and glutathione (GSH) content (by 23.19%, 30.63%, 5.64%, 10.31%, and 33.70%, respectively, P < 0.05), as well as decreases in malondialdehyde (MDA) activity (by 23.01%; P < 0.05) in piglet serum. Extended spermine administration significantly enhanced antioxidant capacity of serum. Collectively, these results suggest that spermine ingestion and extended spermine supplementation can accelerate gut maturation and enhance the antioxidant status of piglets.