Meishan neonatal piglets tend to have higher intestinal barrier function than crossbred neonatal piglets

Meishan pigs tend to have higher disease resistance than commercial breeds, although more studies are needed to confirm this difference. This study compared intestinal barrier function between Meishan and crossbred neonatal piglets to provide guidance for both the breeding and nutritional regulation of pigs. Six Meishan piglets and 6 Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) crossbred neonatal piglets (all with normal birth weights) were obtained and allocated into the MEIS and CROSS groups, respectively. Intestinal morphology, goblet cell numbers, antioxidant enzyme activity, and cytokine gene and tight junction protein expression were assessed. The results showed that BW was lower in the MEIS group than in the CROSS group (P < 0.01). The relative lengths of the duodenum (P < 0.05), jejunum (P < 0.01) and ileum (P < 0.01) in the MEIS group were higher than those in the CROSS group. Compared with the CROSS group, the MEIS group exhibited shorter villus lengths in the duodenum and jejunum (P < 0.01), a shallower crypt depth in the ileum (P < 0.001) and denser and longer microvilli in the intestine. The numbers of GCs in the duodenum (P < 0.01) and jejunum (P < 0.001) and the activity levels of glutathione peroxidase (P < 0.05) in the jejunum and of catalase (P < 0.01) and superoxide dismutase (P < 0.01) in the ileum were higher in the MEIS group than in the CROSS group. Compared with the CROSS group, the MEIS group exhibited higher gene expression levels of interleukin (IL) 4 and interferon γ (IFNγ) in the jejunum (P < 0.05); IL2 (P < 0.05), IL4 (P < 0.01) and IFNγ (P < 0.001) in the ileum; and mucin 2 (P < 0.01) and occludin (P < 0.05) in the duodenum. In conclusion, Meishan neonatal piglets showed lower birth weights but higher intestinal barrier function than crossbred piglets.