Acetic acid, which is one of the most abundant short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) in rabbits’ cecum, has been reported to play an important function during various physiological metabolic processes. The present study was conducted to elucidate the effects of sodium acetate on growth performance and intestinal health by evaluating feed intake and efficiency, diarrhea score, serum and cecum metabolites, cecal pH and SCFA, histological staining, nutritional composition of meat and gene expression profile of cecum in rabbits. As a result of sodium acetate supplement, the feed conversion ratio, diarrhea score, and diameter of muscle fiber were significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Additionally, dietary sodium acetate significantly increased in total area of muscle fibers and content of crude ash (P < 0.05). Dietary sodium acetate significantly increased serum glucose, total bile acid, and total cholesterol levels and decreased amylase, lipase, and tCO2 content (P < 0.05). Further examination suggested that sodium acetate supplementation enhanced the micro-environment of cecum, evidenced by significantly increased levels of total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase, and decreased pH and amylase levels (P < 0.05). According to transcriptome sequencing of cecal tissues, differentially expressed genes were predominantly enriched in cell cycle, ABC transporters, and chemokine signaling pathways. Sodium acetate was further suggested to stimulate the proliferation and migration of rabbits’ cecum epithelial cells by activating Wnt/β-catenin pathway both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, dietary sodium acetate supplementation improved growth performance and intestinal health in rabbits.

中文翻译：

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补充乙酸钠通过 Wnt/β-catenin 信号通路改善兔的生长性能和肠道健康


乙酸是兔盲肠中最丰富的短链脂肪酸 （SCFA） 之一，据报道在各种生理代谢过程中发挥着重要作用。本研究旨在通过评估兔的采食量和效率、腹泻评分、血清和盲肠代谢物、盲肠 pH 值和 SCFA、组织学染色、肉的营养成分和盲肠的基因表达谱来阐明乙酸钠对生长性能和肠道健康的影响。补充醋酸钠后，饲料转化率、腹泻评分和肌纤维直径显著降低 （P < 0.05）。此外，日粮中醋酸钠对肌纤维总面积和粗灰分含量显著增加（P < 0.05）。膳食乙酸钠显着增加血糖、总胆汁酸和总胆固醇水平，降低淀粉酶、脂肪酶和 tCO2 含量 （P < 0.05）。进一步检查表明，补充醋酸钠增强了盲肠的微环境，表现为总抗氧化能力、总超氧化物歧化酶和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶水平显着增加，pH 值和淀粉酶水平降低 （P < 0.05）。根据盲肠组织的转录组测序，差异表达基因主要富集于细胞周期、 ABC 转运蛋白和趋化因子信号通路。进一步提出乙酸钠通过在体内和体外激活 Wnt/β-catenin 通路来刺激兔盲肠上皮细胞的增殖和迁移。总之，膳食中补充乙酸钠改善了兔子的生长性能和肠道健康。