Early socialization and environmental enrichment of lactating piglets affects the caecal microbiota and metabolomic response after weaning

The aim of this study was to determine the possible impact of early socialization and an enriched neonatal environment to improve adaptation of piglets to weaning. We hypothesized that changes in the microbiota colonization process and in their metabolic response and intestinal functionality could help the animals face weaning stress. A total of 48 sows and their litters were allotted into a control (CTR) or an enriched treatment (ENR), in which piglets from two adjacent pens were combined and enriched with toys. The pattern of caecal microbial colonization, the jejunal gene expression, the serum metabolome and the intestinal physiology of the piglets were assessed before (-2 d) and after weaning (+ 3d). A differential ordination of caecal microbiota was observed after weaning. Serum metabolome suggested a reduced energetic metabolism in ENR animals, as evidenced by shifts in triglycerides and fatty acids, VLDL/LDL and creatine regions. The TLR2 gene showed to be downregulated in the jejunum of ENR pigs after weaning. The integration of gene expression, metabolome and microbiota datasets confirmed that differences between barren and enriched neonatal environments were evident only after weaning. Our results suggest that improvements in adaptation to weaning could be mediated by a better response to the post-weaning stress

Poststroke Lung Infection by Opportunistic Commensal Bacteria Is Not Mediated by Their Expansion in the Gut Microbiota

Respiratory and urinary tract infections are frequent complications in patients with severe stroke. Stroke-associated infection is mainly due to opportunistic commensal bacteria of the microbiota that may translocate from the gut. We investigated the mechanisms underlying gut dysbiosis and poststroke infection.Funded by Fundació la Marató de TV3 (ref. 201723-30-31-32) to Drs Planas, Urra, and Sancho; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (MICINN)/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 and European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) A way of making Europe by the European Union (PID2020-113202RB-I00 to Dr Planas); CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform Plataforma Temática Interdisciplinar (PTI)+Neuro-Aging of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Dr Planas) funded M. Gallizioli. The work of Instituto de Productos Lácteos (IPLA)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) group was partly financed by grant AYUD/2021/ 50981 from Principality of Asturias. The work of Institut de Química Avançada de Catalunya (IQAC)-CSIC was financed by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (AGL2017-83599-R) and MICINN (PID2020-117009RB-I00). Dr Díaz-Marugan was funded by La Caixa Foundation (ID 100010434; code LCF/BQ/DE16/11570021). Dr Arboleya received a postdoctoral Juan de la Cierva contract (MICINN, Ref. IJCI-2017-32156). Work in Dr Sancho laboratory was funded by Centro de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement ERC-2016-Consolidator Grant 725091, and MICINN (PID2019-108157RB/AEI/10.13039/501100011033).Peer reviewe