Abstract: The purpose of this study was to elucidate the function of visfatin in the mucosal immune barrier of weaned piglets by observing histological changes in the small intestine and visfatin expression in LPS-induced piglets. The mucosal structure of the small intestine was damaged. The duodenum, jejunum, ileum and the intestinal villous were atrophied and shorter. Epithelial lymphocytes and lamina propria lymphoid tissue was reduced and aggregates of lymphoid nodules were increased. Visfatin-positive products were expressed in the small intestinal mucosa and mainly distributed in lamina propria lymphoid tissue. After LPS administration, visfatin-positive cells were reduced in the epithelial lymphocytes, lamina propria and intestinal gland but increased in aggregates lymphoids. This study suggested that an LPS-induced immune stress model could induce structural changes of piglet small intestine and cause changes of intestinal mucosal immune barrier function. In addition, the distribution and quantity of visfatin-positive cells were altered, suggesting visfatin is involved in the humoral immune responses of piglets.
K. Xiao, X. Zhu, K.M. Peng, N. Wang and H. Song, 2013. Expression and Changes of Visfatin in the Intestinal Mucosal of LPS-Induced Piglets. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 12: 1484-1488.