Effects of different delivery forms of the novel Bacillus subtilis strain 87Y on redox status and liver function in peri-weaning piglets

Marker	Positive control group	Negative control group	Fermented rapeseed meal group	Bacillus subtilis group	P-value	SEM
Plasma SOD (U/mL)	8.82 ± 0.537^ab	6.10 ± 0.821^c	8.51 ± 0.746^bc	9.72 ± 0.255^a	< 0.001	0.304
Plasma CAT (U/mL)	18.65 ± 1.87^b	20.90 ± 0.926^b	25.60 ± 1.78^a	23.53 ± 0.710^a	<0.001	0.611
Plasma FRAP (μmol/L)	10.66 ± 1.51^a	8.21 ± 1.59^b	11.10 ± 2.39^a	10.81 ± 1.99^a	<0.001	0.862
Plasma GSH (μmol/L)	0.640 ± 0.084^b	0.679 ± 0.083^b	0.709 ± 0.078^ab	0.826 ± 0.060^a	0.003	0.021
Plasma MDA (μmol/L)	3.65 ± 0.213^b	4.66 ± 0.408^a	2.27 ± 0.187^c	2.16 ± 0.251^c	<0.001	0.223
Plasma LOOH (μmol/L)	1.89 ± 0.064^a	1.83 ± 0.093^ab	1.75 ± 0.058^b	1.74 ± 0.060^b	0.001	0.019
Liver SOD (U/g)	74.15 ± 0.837^b	78.55 ± 1.55^a	79.18 ± 0.604^a	77.06 ± 1.47^a	<0.001	0.567
Liver CAT (U/g)	271.3 ± 34.79^bc	259.5 ± 25.94^c	323.4 ± 23.91^ab	340.4 ± 21.71^a	0.003	10.67
Liver GSH (μmol/g)	1.15 ± 0.076^b	1.07 ± 0.097^b	1.15 ± 0.097^b	1.45 ± 0.068^a	<0.001	0.042
Liver MDA (μmol/g)	3.74 ± 0.286^b	4.40 ± 0.176^a	3.31 ± 0.157^c	3.21 ± 0.168^c	<0.001	0.129
Liver LOOH (μmol/g)	1.33 ± 0.045^ab	1.34 ± 0.017^a	1.26 ± 0.040^b	1.29 ± 0.021^ab	0.027	0.011
Jejunum SOD (U/g)	61.66 ± 6.35^a	56.91 ± 3.82^ab	64.63 ± 4.15^a	51.79 ± 4.55^b	0.009	1.53
Jejunum CAT (U/g)	117.7 ± 11.39^b	116.7 ± 30.85^b	154.5 ± 38.89^b	209.8 ± 27.10^a	0.001	10.35
Jejunum GSH (μmol/g)	3.82 ± 0.358^a	3.04 ± 0.164^b	1.25 ± 0.065^c	2.72 ± 0.157^b	<0.001	0.237
Jejunum MDA (μmol/g)	1.41 ± 0.021^a	1.35 ± 0.037^b	1.30 ± 0.026^c	1.28 ± 0.015^c	<0.001	0.014
Jejunum LOOH (μmol/g)	1.94 ± 0.204^a	1.23 ± 0.120^c	1.56 ± 0.235^bc	1.82 ± 0.198^ab	<0.001	0.075

Positive control group – weaned piglets receiving a standard diet with feed additives and ZnO; negative control group – weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the positive control group but without feed additives or ZnO–fermented rapeseed meal group – weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the negative control group but with 8% content of this meal and Bacillus subtilis 87Y; Bacillus subtilis group – weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the negative control group with 0.1% Bacillus subtilis 87Y; SOD – superoxide dismutase; CAT – catalase; FRAP – ferric-reducing ability of plasma; GSH – glutathione; MDA – malondialdehyde; LOOH – lipid hydroperoxides;

a–c – different superscript letters in the same row indicate significant difference (P-value < 0.05). Data are least squares means for six replicate pens per diet and are shown as ±SD

Table 2.

Biochemical and enzymatic parameters in piglet plasma

Biomarker/enzyme	Positive control group	Negative control group	Fermented rapeseed meal group	Bacillus subtilis group	P-value	SEM
Glu (mmol/L)	5.58 ± 0.291^a	5.47 ± 0.260^a	5.35 ± 0.257^a	4.61 ± 0.286^b	<0.001	0.095
TP (g/L)	64.02 ± 3.10^b	63.13 ± 6.09^b	72.08 ± 2.26^a	73.93 ± 2.70^a	<0.001	1.24
ALB (g/L)	29.52 ± 3.07	29.85 ± 3.60	32.70 ± 2.33	34.08 ± 3.59	0.060	0.728
GLOB (g/L)	34.50 ± 2.69^b	33.28 ± 5.73^b	39.38 ± 2.25^a	39.85 ± 5.78^a	0.047	1.04
ALB/GLOB	0.863 ± 0.146	0.919 ± 0.191	0.834 ± 0.094	0.877 ± 0.189	0.831	0.031
Urea (mmol/L)	5.11 ± 0.653^a	3.61 ± 0.087^b	3.55 ± 0.190^b	5.16 ± 0.717^a	<0.001	0.188
CREAT (μmol/L)	74.26 ± 6.87^b	85.16 ± 7.04^a	69.69 ± 4.35^b	75.73 ± 6.91^ab	0.004	1.69
BIL (μmol/L)	2.88 ± 0.768	2.59 ± 0.070	2.62 ± 0.140	2.59 ± 0.070	0.539	0.079
CHOL (mmol/L)	1.87 ± 0.100	1.89 ± 0.076	1.85 ± 0.097	1.78 ± 0.151	0.348	0.023
HDL (mmol/L)	1.15 ± 0.102^b	1.15 ± 0.072^b	1.31 ± 0.090^a	1.24 ± 0.132^ab	0.037	0.024
LDL (mmol/L)	0.571 ± 0.082^a	0.582 ± 0.091^a	0.408 ± 0.098^b	0.415 ± 0.035^b	0.001	0.023
% HDL	61.42 ± 3.79^b	60.68 ± 3.80^b	70.72 ± 3.89^a	69.60 ± 2.61^a	<0.001	1.171
HDL:CHOL	0.614 ± 0.038^b	0.607 ± 0.022^b	0.707 ± 0.027^a	0.696 ± 0.026^a	<0.001	0.012
TG (mmol/L)	0.332 ± 0.047^ab	0.355 ± 0.058^a	0.294 ± 0.048^ab	0.273 ± 0.034^b	0.030	0.011
ALT (U/L)	28.58 ± 2.96^b	41.03 ± 1.88^a	37.78 ± 1.16^a	41.10 ± 1.80^a	<0.001	1.14
AST (U/L)	46.27 ± 2.32^bc	44.32 ± 3.15^c	49.73 ± 1.81^ab	51.17 ± 3.59^a	0.001	0.778
LDH (U/L)	649.8 ± 64.80	687.3 ± 83.60	727.2 ± 54.35	680.3 ± 57.61	0.275	13.83
CK (U/L)	1,253.3 ± 101.6^b	1,589.0 ± 140.07^a	528.2 ± 50.87^d	708.2 ± 52.52^c	<0.001	90.09
GGTP (U/L)	18.44 ± 1.35^b	33.33 ± 3.31^a	29.64 ± 3.42^a	32.24 ± 2.41^a	<0.001	1.34

Positive control group – weaned piglets receiving a standard diet with feed additives and ZnO; negative control group – weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the positive control group but without feed additives or ZnO – fermented rapeseed meal group – weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the negative control group but with 8% content of this meal and Bacillus subtilis 87Y; Bacillus subtilis group – weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the negative control group with 0.1% Bacillus subtilis 87Y; Glu – glucose; TP – total protein; ALB – albumin; GLOB – globulins; CREAT – creatinine; BIL – bilirubin; CHOL – total cholesterol; HDL – high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL – low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; TG – triacylglycerols; ALT – alanine aminotransferase; AST – aspartate aminotransferase; LDH – lactate dehydrogenase; CK – creatine kinase; GGTP – gamma-glutamyltransferase;

a–d – different superscript letters in the same row indicate significant difference (P-value < 0.05). Data are least squares means for six replicate pens per diet and are shown as ±SD

Representative histological images of liver tissue from piglets in the PC, NC, FR and BS groups. Staining with HE shows liver parenchyma divided into hepatic lobules with visible central veins and portal triads separated by thin bands of connective tissue. Staining with Sudan IV dye shows very weak histochemical staining for neutral lipids, visible as small orange lipid vacuoles in the cytoplasm of individual hepatocytes. PC – positive control group of weaned piglets receiving a standard diet with feed additives and ZnO; NC – negative control group of weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the positive control group but without feed additives or ZnO; FR – fermented rapeseed meal group of weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the negative control group but with 8% content of this meal and *Bacillus subtilis* 87Y; BS – *Bacillus subtilis* 87Y group of weaned piglets receiving the same diet as the negative control group with 0.1% *Bacillus subtilis* 87Y

Representative histological images of kidney tissue from piglets in the PC, NC, FR and BS groups. Staining with HE shows glomeruli with preserved filtration spaces and adjacent proximal and distal convoluted tubules lined with simple cuboidal epithelium. Staining with Sudan IV dye shows scattered, tiny lipid vacuoles in the cytoplasm of the renal tubular epithelium. PC – positive control group of weaned piglets receiving a standard diet with feed additives and ZnO; NC – negative control group of weaned piglets receiving the same diet as in the positive control group but without feed additives or ZnO; FR – fermented rapeseed meal group of weaned piglets receiving a diet with 8% content of this meal and *Bacillus subtilis* 87Y without feed additives or ZnO; BS – *Bacillus subtilis* 87Y group of weaned piglets receiving a diet with 0.1% *Bacillus subtilis* 87Y without feed additives or ZnO

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jvetres-2026-0051 | Journal eISSN: 2450-8608 (formerly 2300-3235)

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Language: English

Submitted on: Feb 4, 2026

Accepted on: Sep 9, 2026

Published on: Sep 16, 2026

Published by: National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy

In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services

Keywords:

fermented rapeseed meal,

Bacillus subtilis 87Y,

ferric-reducing antioxidant power,

solid-state fermentation,

Related subjects:

Microbiology and virology,

Life sciences, other,

Medicine,

Veterinary medicine

© 2026 Anna Czech, Łukasz Wlazło, Marcin Łukaszewicz, Agnieszka Lewińska, Wojciech Łopuszyński, Bożena Nowakowicz-Dębek, published by National Veterinary Research Institute in Pulawy
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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Effects of different delivery forms of the novel Bacillus subtilis strain 87Y on redox status and liver function in peri-weaning piglets

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