The purpose of the present study is to discover the effects of iron on the intestinal development and epithelial maturation of suckling piglets. Twenty-seven newborn male piglets from 9 sows (3 piglets per sow), with similar body weight were selected. The 3 piglets from the same sow were randomly divided into 1 of 3 groups. The piglets were orally administrated with 2 mL normal saline (CON group) or with 25 mg of iron by ferrous sulfate (OAFe group; dissolved in normal saline) on 2^nd, 7^th, 12^th, and 17^th days, respectively, or intramuscularly injected with 100 mg of iron by iron dextran (IMFe group) on 2^nd day. The slaughter was performed on 21^st day and intestinal samples were collected. Compared to the CON group, iron supplementation significantly increased the length (P < 0.001), weight (P < 0.001), relative weight (P < 0.001), and the length: weight ratio (P < 0.001) of the small intestine in both OAFe and IMFe groups. The villus height(VH) (P < 0.001), crypt depth(CD) (P < 0.001), villus width (P = 0.002), and surface area (P < 0.001) in the jejunum of IMFe and OAFe piglets were also greater than those in CON piglets. The mRNA expression of trehalase (Treh; P = 0.002) and sucrase isomaltase (Sis; P = 0.043), markers of epithelial maturation increased in OAFe and IMFe piglets, respectively. Moreover, enterocyte vacuolization, observed in fetal-type enterocyte, was reduced in OAFe and IMFe piglets, compared with CON piglets. However, no significant difference in the expression of the target genes of wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway was observed. The results indicated that both oral administration and intramuscular injection with iron promoted intestinal development and epithelial maturation in suckling piglets, and that the effects of iron may be independent of wnt/β-catenin signaling.

中文翻译：

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铁对哺乳仔猪肠道发育和上皮成熟的影响。

本研究的目的是发现铁对哺乳仔猪肠道发育和上皮成熟的影响。从 9 头母猪（每头母猪 3 头）中选择了 27 头体重相近的新生雄性仔猪。来自同一头母猪的 3 头小猪被随机分成 3 组中的 1 组。小猪经口用2mL生理盐水（CON组）或用25毫克的铁由硫酸亚铁（OAFe基;溶解于生理盐水）给药2^次，7^次，12^次和17^次天，分别，或用100毫克的铁由右旋糖酐铁（IMFe组）2肌肉注射^ND天。屠宰是在 21^日进行的当天和肠道样本被收集。与CON组相比，补铁显着增加了小肠的长度（P < 0.001 ）、重量（P < 0.001 ）、相对重量（P < 0.001 ）和长度：重量比（P < 0.001 ）。 OAFe 和 IMFe 组。绒毛高度（VH）（P < 0.001 ）、隐窝深度（CD）（P < 0.001 ）、绒毛宽度（P = 0.002 ）和表面积（P < 0.001 ）在 IMFe 和 OAFe 仔猪的空肠中也高于 CON 仔猪。海藻糖酶（Treh；P =0.002 ）和蔗糖酶异麦芽糖酶（Sis；P =0.043 ）的mRNA表达，OAFe 和 IMFe 仔猪的上皮成熟标志物分别增加。此外，与 CON 仔猪相比，在 OAFe 和 IMFe 仔猪中观察到的胎儿型肠细胞中的肠细胞空泡化减少。然而，没有观察到 wnt/β-catenin 信号通路靶基因的表达有显着差异。结果表明，口服和肌肉注射铁剂均可促进哺乳仔猪肠道发育和上皮成熟，铁的作用可能与 wnt/β-catenin 信号无关。