Adverse Effects of Heat Stress on the Intestinal Integrity and Function of Pigs and the Mitigation Capacity of Dietary Antioxidants: A Review

• Main Authors: Arth David Sol Valmoria Ortega, Csaba Szabó
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-04-01
• Series: Animals
• Subjects: heat stress; oxidative stress; antioxidants; intestinal integrity and function; pigs; reactive oxygen species
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/4/1135

Heat stress (HS) significantly affects the performance of pigs by its induced stressors such as inflammation, hypoxia and oxidative stress (OS), which mightily strain the intestinal integrity and function of pigs. As heat stress progresses, several mechanisms in the intestinal epithelium involved in the absorption of nutrients and its protective functions are altered. Changes in these mechanisms are mainly driven by cellular oxidative stress, which promotes disruption of intestinal homeostasis, leading to intestinal permeability, emphasizing intestinal histology and morphology with little possibility of recovering even after exposure to HS. Identification and understanding of these altered mechanisms are crucial for providing appropriate intervention strategies. Therefore, it is this papers’ objective to review the important components for intestinal integrity that are negatively affected by HS and its induced stressors. With due consideration to the amelioration of such effects through nutritional intervention, this work will also look into the capability of dietary antioxidants in mitigating such adverse effects and maintaining the intestine’s integrity and function upon the pigs’ exposure to high environmental temperature.