For protein extraction mid-jejunum mucosa samples were thawed on ice and 1 g of the sample was placed in sterile tube (5 mL tube, Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany) followed by addition of 2 mL of PBS (MP Biomedicals, Inc., Santa Ana, CA, USA). Samples were homogenized (Tissuemiser, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) for 30 s and centrifuged at 87,000×
g for 20 min on ice. The supernatant was subdivided into vials stored at −80 °C until being used to evaluate antioxidant status, immune response, and intestinal barrier function in mid-jejunum mucosa relative to the protein content of samples (PierceTM BCA Protein Assay Kit, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). Protein quantification started by mixing 25 µL of each sample with 200 µL of working reagent provided in the kit in a microplate well (96-Well EIA/RIA Plates, Corning, Corning, NY, USA), followed by 30 s incubation in plate shaker. The plate was covered with clear adhesive strip and incubated for 30 min at 37 °C. The plate was cooled to room temperature and wells were read at 562 nm.
The quantification of protein carbonyls (STA-310, Cell Biolabs, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) as an index of oxidized proteins is described by Shen et al. [89 (
link)]. Briefly, the protein content of each sample determined in the previous assay was diluted to 10 µg/mL. Diluted samples (100 µL) were pipetted into wells and incubated for 2 h at 37 °C. Each well was washed three times with 250 µL of PBS (MP Biomedicals, Inc., Santa Ana, CA, USA) and 100 µL of working solution supplied in the kit added before plate incubation in the dark for 45 min. Each well was washed with 250 µL of PBS/ethanol (1:1, v/v) and incubated for 5 min in an orbital shaker; this procedure was repeated four times. Each well was washed with 250 µL of PBS twice, 200 µL of blocking solution was added, and the plate was incubated for 1 h in an orbital shaker. Each well was washed with 250 µL of washing buffer three times and 100 µL of anti-dinitrophenylhydrazine antibody supplied in the kit were added according to dilutions recommended by the manufacturer. The plate was incubated in an orbital shaker for 1 h. Each well was washed with 250 µL of washing buffer three times and 100 µL of horseradish peroxidase antibody were added for incubation for 1 h in an orbital shaker. Each well was washed with 250 µL of washing buffer five times, 100 µL of substrate were added, and 100 µL of stop solution were added after the onset color development. The wells were read at 450 nm.
Malondialdehydes (STA-330, Cell Biolabs, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) were measured by incubating for 5 min 100 µL of each sample in equal volume of SDS lysis solution provided in the kit. Followed by incubation at 95 °C for 45 min with 250 µL of the reagent (130 mg of thiobarbituric acid in 25 mL of diluent) supplied in the kit, which had the pH adjusted (Accumet AB15 pH Meter, Fisher Scientific, Hampton, NH, USA) to 3.5 with sodium hydroxide. Tubes were cooled in for 5 min and centrifuged at 4000×
g for 15 min. The supernatant (300 µL) was vigorously mixed with 300 µL of butanol for 2 min and centrifuged at 10,000×
g for 5 min. The supernatant (200 µL) was transferred to a microplate (96-Well EIA/RIA Plates, Corning, Corning, NY, USA) and samples were read at 532 nm.
Tumor necrosis factor-α (PTA00, R&D Systems, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) was measured by pipetting 50 µL of assay diluent supplied in the kit with 50 µL of samples into wells. The plate was covered with clear adhesive strip and incubated for 2 h. Each well was washed five times with 300 µL of washing buffer, 100 µL of TNF-α conjugate supplied in the kit were added, and the plate was incubated following same specifications. Each well was washed five times with 300 µL of washing buffer, 100 µL of substrate solution supplied in the kit were added to each well, and the plate was incubated for 30 min in the dark. After incubation, 100 µL of stop solution supplied in the kit were added and wells were read 450 and 570 nm to obtain reading at 570 subtracted from 450 nm.
Iterleukin-8 quantification (P8000, R&D Systems, Inc., Minneapolis, MN, USA) was performed by pipetting 50 µL of assay diluent supplied in the kit with 100 µL of samples into wells. The plate was covered with clear adhesive strip and incubated for 2 h in orbital shaker at 500 rpm. Each well was washed five times with 300 µL of washing buffer, 200 µL of porcine IL-8 conjugate supplied in the kit were added, and the plate was incubated following same specifications. Each well was washed five times with 300 µL of washing buffer, 120 µL of substrate solution supplied in the kit were added, and the plate incubated for 30 min in the dark. After incubation, 120 µL of stop solution supplied in the kit were added and wells were read 450 and 570 nm to obtain reading at 570 subtracted from 450 nm.
Immunoglobulin A (E100-102, Bethyl Laboratories, Inc., Montgomery, TX, USA) and IgG (E100-104, Bethyl Laboratories, Inc., Montgomery, TX, USA) were measured by pipetting 100 µL of their respective affinity purified antibody in each well according to the kit dilution. The plate was incubated for 1 h. Each well was washed five times with 260 µL of washing buffer supplied in the kit, 200 µL of blocking buffer supplied in the kit were added, and the plate was incubated for 30 min. Each well was washed five times with 260 µL of washing buffer, 100 µL of samples were added and incubated for 30 min. Each well was washed five times with 260 µL of washing buffer, 100 µL of diluted horseradish peroxidase supplied in the kit were added, and the plate was incubated for 1 h. Each well was washed five times with 260 µL of washing buffer, 100 µL of tetramethylbenzidine substrate were added, and the plate was incubated in the dark for 15 min. Sulfuric acid (100 µL) at 0.18 M was used as stop solution. The plate was read at 450 nm.
For measurement of total glutathione, a different protein extraction method was used, as recommended by the kit manufacturer total glutathione (STA-312, Cell Biolabs, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). Mid-jejunum mucosa (100 mg) and 1 mL of metaphosphoric acid at 5% were mixed and homogenized with a glass pestle. The homogenate was centrifuged at 64,000×
g for 15 min. The supernatant was used for total glutathione determination total glutathione (STA-312, Cell Biolabs, Inc., San Diego, CA, USA). Glutathione reductase solution (25 µL), NADPH solution (25 µL) supplied in the kit, and samples (100 µL) were added to each well. The chromogen solution (100 µL) supplied in the kit was added to each well and the plate was read at 405 nm every 2 min during 10 min. All wavelengths (for quantifications of protein, protein carbonyls, malondialdehydes, total glutathione, TNF-α, IL-8, IgA, and IgG) were read at the same microplate reader (Synergy HT, Biotek, Winooski, VT, USA).
Ileal digesta was freeze dried (SP Scientific, Virtis 24DX48 GPFD/300820, Warminster, PA, USA) and ground. Subsamples of ground material were analyzed for apparent ileal digestibility of dry matter [90 (
link)], gross energy (6200 Calorimeter, Parr Instrument Company, Moline, IL, USA), nitrogen (method 990.03, [91 ], ATC Scientific, North Little Rock, AR, USA), and ether extract (method 920.39, [91 ]).
Fixed mid-jejunal tissue was removed from 10% buffered formaldehyde after two weeks for the obtainment of two transversal cuts that were transferred histological cassettes and submerged in 70% ethanol. Mid-jejunal cuts were included in paraffin for assembling histological slides after staining for Ki-67 antigen. The immunohistochemistry staining with Ki-67 primary monoclonal antibody (1:500 dilution) followed by anti-mouse secondary antibody (1:2 dilution factor) and the use of diamino-benzamine reagent for color development was performed in accordance with methods previously described by Kim et. al. [20 (
link)]. Ten pictures of each pig were used to measure gut morphology by a single researcher choosing a well-oriented villus and its associated crypt. Measurements included: villus width (at half of villus height), villus height (from tip of the villus to top of the crypt), crypt depth (from top to bottom of the crypt), and calculating villus height: crypt depth [86 (
link)]. The proportion of proliferating cells in the crypt was also estimated by calculating the proportion of cells positive to Ki-67 after taking pictures at 40× in Sony Van–Ox S microscope (Opelco, Washington, DC, USA) and processing in ImageJS tool [92 (
link)] for analysis as described by Holanda and Kim [86 (
link)].
Holanda D.M., Yiannikouris A, & Kim S.W. (2020). Investigation of the Efficacy of a Postbiotic Yeast Cell Wall-Based Blend on Newly-Weaned Pigs under a Dietary Challenge of Multiple Mycotoxins with Emphasis on Deoxynivalenol. Toxins, 12(8), 504.