Journal of Integrative Agriculture ›› 2026, Vol. 25 ›› Issue (1): 16-29.DOI: 10.1016/j.jia.2024.05.022

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  • 收稿日期:2024-02-06 修回日期:2024-05-16 接受日期:2024-04-10 出版日期:2026-01-20 发布日期:2025-12-05

Interrelations between probiotics, gut microbiota, intestinal barrier, and immune response focusing on diarrhea in dairy calves

Munwar Ali1, 3, Chang Xu1, 3, Qazal Hina4, Aoyun Li2#, Kun Li1, 3#   

  1. 1 Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China

    2 College of Veterinary Medicine, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China

    3 Ministry of Education of the People’s Republic of China Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China

    4 Department of Animal Nutrition, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan

  • Received:2024-02-06 Revised:2024-05-16 Accepted:2024-04-10 Online:2026-01-20 Published:2025-12-05
  • About author:Munwar Ali, E-mail: drmunwarali06@gmail.com; #Correspondence Aoyun Li, E-mail: aoyunli@henau.edu.cn; Kun Li, E-mail: 2021019@njau.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    We are grateful for financial support from the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (GZC20230718).

Abstract:

The interplay between gut microbiota and host health has attracted significant interest in the animal science community.  Maintaining gut microbiota homeostasis by supplementing probiotics to treat clinical conditions like calf diarrhea is an emerging area of research nowadays because of increased concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and drug residues in animal products.  Probiotics reduce the incidence of calf diarrhea by increasing the gut microbiota diversity and richness with more commensal bacteria such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium that produce antimicrobial compounds, as well as modulating the immune response by increasing cytokines, Interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and reducing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), by increasing production of antibodies, especially immunoglobulin E (IgE), also IgG, differentiating naïve Th lymphocytes (Tho) into Th1, hence stimulate innate immunity and prime the adaptive immune response.  Specific probiotic strains of bacteria and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) derived probiotics maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier.  In this review, data are being organized to address the role of probiotics in treating calf diarrhea by modulating gut microbiota and stimulating an immune response against notorious pathogens, to present animal and veterinary scientists and nutritionists with a new concept to treat infectious diseases from the perspective of the gut microbiota, increasing animal health, performance, and welfare.  In conclusion, health status and gut microbiome are strongly interlinked.  Research data indicated a significant reduction in the incidence of diarrhea after probiotic administration.  If interrelations between probiotics and existing gut microbiota are explored more quantitatively, novel antibiotic substitutes can emerge in the future.

Key words: probiotics ,  gut microbiota ,  diarrhea ,  calves ,  ntestinal barrier ,  immune response