Potassium Diformate Attenuates Inflammation and Enhances Intestinal Barrier Function Associated With Gut Microbiota Modulation in Nursery Piglets

ABSTRACT

This experiment explored the impacts of potassium diformate (K‐diformate) on growth performance, inflammation, intestinal barrier function, and gut microbiota in nursery piglets. Twenty‐four weaned piglets were assigned to four dietary groups supplemented with 0%, 0.6%, 1.2%, or 1.8% K‐diformate for 28 days. Results showed that the FCR decreased linearly with increasing K‐diformate levels ( p  < 0.05). Importantly, piglets in the 1.8% K‐diformate group had the lowest FCR, which was lower than that of the control group by 15.03% and 14.29% in weeks 1–2 and 3–4, respectively ( p  < 0.05). Additionally, piglets receiving 1.8% K‐diformate demonstrated lower serum IL‐6 levels (9.27% reduction), along with reduced jejunal IL‐6 (17.64%), IL‐1β (10.29%), and TNF‐α levels (14.01%) relative to the control group ( p  < 0.05). Furthermore, piglets in the 1.8% K‐diformate group exhibited decreased serum D‐lactate (36.00% reduction) and LPS levels (9.90% reduction), and elevated serum GLP‐2 levels (9.23% increase), as well as upregulated jejunal ZO‐1, Occludin, and MUC2, both at mRNA and protein expression levels ( p  < 0.05). Microbiota analysis revealed piglets in the 1.8% K‐diformate group exhibited higher abundances of Treponema , Roseburia , Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group , and norank_f_Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes_group , while showing lower abundances of Lactobacillus , Streptococcus , Sarcina , and Blautia ( p  < 0.05). Correlation analysis further revealed associations between Roseburia , Blautia , Sarcina , and Lactobacillus with inflammation, and between Treponema , Roseburia , Streptococcus , Blautia , and Sarcina with intestinal barrier function ( p  < 0.05). Collectively, dietary addition with K‐diformate (especially 1.8%) improved growth performance, inflammation, and intestinal barrier function associated with gut microbiota modulation in nursery piglets.