De Vries, HugoGeervliet, MirelleJansen, Christine A.Rutten, Victor P.M.G.Van Hees, HubertGroothuis, NatalieWells, Jerry M.Savelkoul, Huub F.J.Tijhaar, EdwinSmidt, Hauke2020-12-042020-12-042020-10De Vries, H., Geervliet, M., Jansen, C.A,. et al. 2020, 'Impact of yeast-derived β-glucans on the porcine gut microbiota and immune system in early life', Microorganisms, vol. 8, no, 10, art. 1573. pp. 1-24.2076-2607 (online)10.3390/microorganisms8101573http://hdl.handle.net/2263/77270Piglets are susceptible to infections in early life and around weaning due to rapid environmental and dietary changes. A compelling target to improve pig health in early life is diet, as it constitutes a pivotal determinant of gut microbial colonization and maturation of the host’s immune system. In the present study, we investigated how supplementation of yeast-derived β-glucans affects the gut microbiota and immune function pre- and post-weaning, and how these complex systems develop over time. From day two after birth until two weeks after weaning, piglets received yeast-derived β-glucans or a control treatment orally and were subsequently vaccinated against Salmonella Typhimurium. Faeces, digesta, blood, and tissue samples were collected to study gut microbiota composition and immune function. Overall, yeast-derived β-glucans did not affect the vaccination response, and only modest effects on faecal microbiota composition and immune parameters were observed, primarily before weaning. This study demonstrates that the pre-weaning period offers a ‘window of opportunity’ to alter the gut microbiota and immune system through diet. However, the observed changes were modest, and any long-lasting effects of yeast-derived β-glucans remain to be elucidated.en© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).β-glucansPorcineGastro-intestinal tractGut microbiotaImmune systemEarly lifeArticle