Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42510996›Full record

ReviewAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2026

Host-Microbiota Interactions in the Regulation of Intestinal Health in Weaned Piglets: Molecular Mechanisms and Nutritional Intervention Strategies.

Tiantian Li, Runan Zhang, Qianqian Gao, Jiajing Chang, Xiaonan Zeng, Xianlong Feng, Zhanxiang Zhang, Siyu Wei, Chunlan Xu, Lei Qiao

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Tiantian LiSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.ORCID 0009-0004-6212-1729
Runan ZhangSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.
Qianqian GaoSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.
Jiajing ChangSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.
Xiaonan ZengSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.
Xianlong FengSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.
Zhanxiang ZhangSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.
Siyu WeiKey Laboratory of Molecular Animal Nutrition, Ministry of Education, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
Chunlan XuSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.
Lei QiaoSchool of Life Science and Technology, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China.ORCID 0000-0003-2907-7629

Funding

China Postdoctoral Science Foundation 2025M770268National Natural Science Foundation of China 32573245
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The weaning period represents a critical developmental window during which the intestinal host-microbiota interaction network in piglets undergoes profound remodeling and becomes highly vulnerable to disruption. Abrupt dietary transition, reduced feed intake, environmental stressors, and pathogen exposure can collectively interfere with gut microbial succession, epithelial barrier maturation, mucosal immune homeostasis, and neuroendocrine regulation, thereby increasing the susceptibility of piglets to post-weaning diarrhea, intestinal inflammation, and growth retardation. Gut microorganisms contribute to intestinal homeostasis by regulating epithelial renewal, barrier function, immune tolerance, inflammatory thresholds, and host metabolic adaptation through diverse microbial-derived signals, including short-chain fatty acids, tryptophan metabolites, bile acid derivatives, and amino acid-derived metabolites. Conversely, the host actively shapes microbial composition, spatial organization, and functional activity through mucins, antimicrobial peptides, secretory immunoglobulin A, intestinal alkaline phosphatase, epithelial oxygen gradients, and genetic factors. Dysregulation of these bidirectional interactions under weaning stress may shift the intestinal ecosystem from a homeostatic state toward dysbiosis and inflammation. In this review, we summarize current knowledge regarding the establishment and succession of the piglet gut microbiota, the molecular mechanisms underlying host-microbiota crosstalk, the disruption of these interaction networks during weaning stress, and the application of multi-omics approaches to decipher causal mechanisms. We further discuss microbiota-targeted nutritional strategies, including probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, postbiotics, functional amino acids, trace elements, and bioactive compounds, for improving intestinal health in weaned piglets. This review aims to provide a mechanistic framework for precision nutritional regulation of piglet intestinal health and for the development of antibiotic-alternative strategies in swine production.

Indexed as

antibiotic-replacement strategiesgut microbiotahost–microbiota interactionintestinal barrierprecision nutritionweaned piglets

Identifiers

PMID42510996
PMCPMC13403676

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.