The mechanism of promoting proliferation of rumen epithelial cells in Tan sheep by adding succinate to the diet based on the interaction between rumen microbiota and host.

A healthy rumen is crucial for normal growth and improved production performance of ruminant animals. Rumen microbes participate in and regulate rumen epithelial function, and the diverse metabolites produced by rumen microbes are important participants in rumen microbe-host interactions. SCFAs, as metabolites of rumen microbes, have been widely studied, and propionate and butyrate have been proven to promote rumen epithelial cell proliferation. Succinate, as an intermediate metabolite in the citric acid cycle, is a final product in the metabolism of certain rumen microbes, and is also an intermediate product in the microbial synthesis pathway of propionate. However, its effect on rumen microbes and rumen epithelial function has not been studied. It is unclear whether succinate can stimulate rumen epithelial development. Therefore, in this experiment, Chinese Tan sheep were used as experimental animals to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the rumen microbiota community structure and rumen epithelial transcriptome, to explore the role of adding succinate to the diet in the interaction between the rumen microbiota and host. Thirty-six 5-month-old Tan sheep with similar health statuses and weights were selected and randomly divided into four groups, with 9 sheep in each group, and reared in individual pens (4 m × 4 m). The four groups were as follows: control group (basal diet), experimental group I (basal diet + 0.5% succinate), experimental group II (basal diet + 1% succinate) and experimental group III (basal diet + 2% succinate).