Low-protein diets supplemented with glutamic acid or aspartic acid ameliorates intestinal damage in weaned piglets challenged with hydrogen peroxide

Abstract Glutamic acid (Glu) and aspartic acid (Asp) are acidic amino acids with regulatory roles in nutrition, energy metabolism, and oxidative stress. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Glu and Asp on the intestinal barrier function and energy metabolism in weaned piglets fed low-protein diets and challenged with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Forty piglets were randomly divided into 5 groups: NC, PC, PGA, PG, and PA (n = 8 for each group). Pigs in the NC and PC groups were fed a low-protein diet, while pigs in the PGA, PG, and PA groups were fed the low-protein diet supplemented with 2.0% Glu + 1.0% Asp, 2.0% Glu, or 1.0% Asp, respectively. On d 8 and 11, pigs in the NC group were intraperitoneally administered with saline (1 mL/kg body weight), while pigs in the other groups were intraperitoneally administered 10% H2O2 (1 mL/kg body weight). On d 14, all pigs were sacrificed to collect jejunum and ileum following the blood sample collection in the morning. Notably, the low-protein diet supplemented with Glu or Asp ameliorated the intestinal oxidative stress response in H2O2-challenged piglets by decreasing (P