The beneficial effect of elevated concentrations of copper (Cu) on growth performance of pigs has been already demonstrated; however, their mechanism of action is not fully discovered. The objective of the present experiment was to investigate the effects of including Cu from copper sulfate (CuSO4) or monovalent copper oxide (Cu2O) in the diet of growing pigs on oxidative stress, inflammation, gene abundance, and microbial modulation. We used 120 pigs with initial body weight (BW) of 11.5 ± 0.98 kg in 2 blocks of 60 pigs, 3 dietary treatments, 5 pigs per pen, and 4 replicate pens per treatment within each block for a total of 8 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included the negative control (NC) diet containing 20 mg Cu/kg and 2 diets in which 250 mg Cu/kg from CuSO4 or Cu2O was added to the NC. On day 28, serum samples were collected from one pig per pen and this pig was then euthanized to obtain liver samples for the analysis of oxidative stress markers (Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and malondialdehyde, MDA). Serum samples were analyzed for cytokines. Jejunum tissue and colon content were collected and used for transcriptomic analyses and microbial characterization, respectively. Results indicated that there were greater (P < 0.05) MDA levels in the liver of pigs fed the diet with 250 mg/kg CuSO4 than in pigs fed the other diets. The serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was greater (P < 0.05) in pigs fed diets containing CuSO4 compared with pigs fed the NC diet or the diet with 250 mg Cu/kg from Cu2O. Pigs fed diets containing CuSO4 or Cu2O had a greater (P < 0.05) abundance of genes related to the intestinal barrier function and nutrient transport, but a lower (P < 0.05) abundance of pro-inflammatory genes compared with pigs fed the NC diet. Supplementing diets with CuSO4 or Cu2O also increased (P < 0.05) the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Peptostreptococcaceae families and reduced (P < 0.05) the abundance of the Rikenellaceae family, Campylobacter, and Streptococcus genera in the colon of pigs. In conclusion, adding 250 mg/kg of Cu from CuSO4 or Cu2O regulates genes abundance in charge of the immune system and growth, and promotes changes in the intestinal microbiota; however, Cu2O induces less systemic oxidation and inflammation compared with CuSO4.

中文翻译：

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铜如何影响猪的生​​长：比较硫酸铜和一价氧化铜对氧化状态、炎症、基因丰度和微生物调节的潜在作用机制的影响。

已经证明了提高铜 (Cu) 浓度对猪生长性能的有益影响；然而，它们的作用机制尚未完全被发现。本实验的目的是研究在生长猪日粮中添加来自硫酸铜 (CuSO4) 或一价氧化铜 (Cu2O) 的铜对氧化应激、炎症、基因丰度和微生物调节的影响。我们使用了 120 头初始体重 (BW) 为 11.5 ± 0.98 kg 的猪，分为 2 组 60 头猪，3 次日粮处理，每栏 5 头猪，每个组内每个处理 4 个重复栏，每次处理总共 8 栏。饮食处理包括含有 20 mg Cu/kg 的阴性对照 (NC) 饮食和 2 个饮食，其中将来自 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 的 250 mg Cu/kg 添加到 NC。第 28 天，每栏从一头猪采集血清样本，然后对这头猪实施安乐死以获得肝脏样本，用于分析氧化应激标志物（铜/锌超氧化物歧化酶、谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶和丙二醛，MDA）。分析血清样品的细胞因子。收集空肠组织和结肠内容物，分别用于转录组分析和微生物表征。结果表明，饲喂 250 mg/kg CuSO4 日粮的猪肝脏中的 MDA 水平高于饲喂其他日粮的猪（P < 0.05）。与饲喂 NC 日粮或含 250 mg Cu/kg Cu2O 日粮的猪相比，饲喂含 CuSO4 日粮的猪的血清肿瘤坏死因子-α 浓度更高（P < 0.05）。饲喂含 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 日粮的猪具有更大的 (P < 0. 05) 与肠道屏障功能和营养转运相关的基因丰度，但与饲喂 NC 日粮的猪相比，促炎基因的丰度较低 (P < 0.05)。在日粮中添加 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 还增加了（P < 0.05）猪结肠中毛螺菌科和消化链球菌科的丰度，并减少了（P < 0.05）猪结肠里克氏菌科、弯曲杆菌和链球菌属的丰度。总之，从 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 中添加 250 mg/kg 的 Cu 可调节负责免疫系统和生长的基因丰度，并促进肠道微生物群的变化；然而，与 CuSO4 相比，Cu2O 诱导较少的全身氧化和炎症。05) 与喂食 NC 日粮的猪相比，促炎基因丰富。在日粮中添加 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 还增加了（P < 0.05）猪结肠中毛螺菌科和消化链球菌科的丰度，并减少了（P < 0.05）猪结肠里克氏菌科、弯曲杆菌和链球菌属的丰度。总之，从 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 中添加 250 mg/kg 的 Cu 可调节负责免疫系统和生长的基因丰度，并促进肠道微生物群的变化；然而，与 CuSO4 相比，Cu2O 诱导较少的全身氧化和炎症。05) 与喂食 NC 日粮的猪相比，促炎基因丰富。在日粮中添加 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 还增加了（P < 0.05）猪结肠中毛螺菌科和消化链球菌科的丰度，并减少了（P < 0.05）猪结肠里克氏菌科、弯曲杆菌和链球菌属的丰度。总之，从 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 中添加 250 mg/kg 的 Cu 可调节负责免疫系统和生长的基因丰度，并促进肠道微生物群的变化；然而，与 CuSO4 相比，Cu2O 诱导较少的全身氧化和炎症。和猪结肠中的链球菌属。总之，从 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 中添加 250 mg/kg 的 Cu 可调节负责免疫系统和生长的基因丰度，并促进肠道微生物群的变化；然而，与 CuSO4 相比，Cu2O 诱导较少的全身氧化和炎症。和猪结肠中的链球菌属。总之，从 CuSO4 或 Cu2O 中添加 250 mg/kg 的 Cu 可调节负责免疫系统和生长的基因丰度，并促进肠道微生物群的变化；然而，与 CuSO4 相比，Cu2O 诱导较少的全身氧化和炎症。