Dietary sodium sulphate supplementation during mid-to-late gestation improves placental angiogenesis, bile acid metabolism, and serum amino acid concentrations of sows.

Sulphate plays a vital role in the growth and development of the foetus. Sodium sulphate (Na 2 SO 4 ) is utilised as a dietary protein nutrient factor and helps replenish sulphur elements in livestock and poultry. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of Na 2 SO 4 supplementation in mid to late pregnancy on bile acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, placental vascular development and antioxidant capacity of sows. At day 1 of gestation (G1), a total of twenty-six primiparous sows were carefully chosen and randomised into two groups: (1) control group, (2) Na 2 SO 4 group (1.40 g/kg). Blood samples and placentas from sows were collected to measure biochemistry parameters, antioxidant indexes, placental vascular density, and indicators related to bile acid metabolism and amino acid concentrations, respectively. We found that dietary supplementation with Na 2 SO 4 had a tendency for a reduction of incidence of stillborn at farrowing. Further observation showed that sows supplemented with Na 2 SO 4 had decreased total bile acid level in cord blood, and increased placental gene expression of sulphotransferase and organic anion transport peptide. Na 2 SO 4 supplementation increased catalase and total superoxide dismutase activity in cord blood, decreased placental malondialdehyde content, and enhanced placental protein expression of Sirtuin 1. Moreover, Na 2 SO 4 consumption resulted in increased vascular density of placental stroma and elevated amino acid levels in sows and cord blood. Furthermore, maternal Na 2 SO 4 consumption reduced serum urea concentrations of sows and umbilical cord blood at G114. In addition, dietary supplementation with Na 2 SO 4 activated the protein expression of the placental mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1. Collectively, these findings indicated that maternal supplementation with Na 2 SO 4 during mid-to-late gestation elevated foetal survival via improving placental angiogenesis, bile acid metabolism and amino acid utilisation.