L-Threonine improves intestinal mucin synthesis and immune function of intrauterine growth retarded weanling piglets

Intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) is usually ascribed to chronic placental insufficiency, which is a common complication of pregnancy that impairs nutrient transport from mother to fetus [1]. As an adaptation to placental insufficiency, redistribution of cardiac output in the fetus maintains substrate supply to key organs (heart and brain) at the expense of visceral organs, such as the liver and small intestine [1]. Such a defect can disrupt the normal trajectory of immune maturation, negatively affecting the composition and secretory products of the intestinal epithelial surface [2].

Source: Nutrition - August 22, 2018 Category: Nutrition Authors: Hao Zhang, Yueping Chen, Yue Li, Tao Zhang, Zhixiong Ying, Weipeng Su, Lili Zhanga Tian Wang Source Type: research