Lactiplantibacillus argentoratensis GB91 protects Weaning Mice from ETEC Infections and Enhances Gut Health

Maintaining a healthy intestinal environment, optimal epithelial barrier integrity, and balanced gut microbiota composition is essential for the growth performance of weaning pig production.Objective: We identified L. argentoratensis GB91 from healthy porcine feces, which demonstrated antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms and enhanced short-chain fatty acid. This study assessed LAs protective role using a model with Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli infection in weaning mice. We observed that LA treatment led to improved feed intake, weight gain, and alleviated the colon shortening in weaning mice. Furthermore, LA inhibited the intestinal damages and increased the villus height of small intestine relative to that observed in ETEC group and enhanced the SCFA production. The KEGG and comparative genetic analyses validated that LA and Lactiplantibacillus, in general, contained the capability to produce SCFAs. An analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that LA mitigated the ETEC-induced shifts in the gut microbiome, decreasing the proportion of Escherichia and Enterococcus while increasing SCFAs producing bacteria including Kineothrix, Lachnoclostridium, Roseuburia, Lacrimispora, Jutongia, and Blautia in weaning mice. Metabolic functional prediction analysis showed that LA enhanced functions linked to carbohydrate, amino acid, and vitamin biosynthesis, while functions associated with infectious bacterial diseases were down-regulated compared to the ETEC group. Thus, LA effectively mitigates the adverse effects of ETEC infection in weaning mice, enhancing growth performance and intestinal integrity, rebalancing gut microbiota, and promoting beneficial metabolic functions.