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Journal of Animal Science and Technology
Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology

J Anim Sci Technol

pISSN: 2672-0191, eISSN: 2055-0391

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5187/jast.2600114

Research Article

A multi-omics characterization of the gut microbiota of weaned piglets in response to Lactobacillus plantarum supplementation

Nae-Ho Park1, Byeonghwi Lim1,2, Chiwoong Lim1, Young-Jun Seo1, Ji-Yeong Lee1, Jungwoo Yang3, Minjee Lee4, Hyunjin Kyoung5, Minho Song5,*, Jun-Mo Kim1,**
1Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong 17546, Korea.
2Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames IA 50011, United States.
3Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, Dongguk University, Gyeongju 38066, Korea.
4IBS R&D Center, Ildong Bioscience, Pyeongtaek 17957, Korea.
5Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea.
*Corresponding Author: Minho Song, Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Korea, Republic of. E-mail: mhsong@cnu.ac.kr.
**Corresponding Author: Jun-Mo Kim, Department of Animal Science and Technology, Chung-Ang University, Anseong 17546, Korea, Republic of. E-mail: junmokim@cau.ac.kr.

© Copyright 2026 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology. This is an Open-Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Received: Mar 26, 2026; Revised: May 19, 2026; Accepted: Jun 22, 2026

Published Online: Jul 02, 2026

Abstract

Weaning is a critical developmental stage in piglets and is frequently associated with intestinal dysfunction, diarrhea, and growth retardation due to abrupt dietary and environmental changes. Probiotics have been explored as antibiotic alternatives to alleviate postweaning stress, and Lactobacillus plantarum has shown potential for modulating the gut microbiota and improving intestinal health. However, most previous studies have relied on single-omics approaches, limiting mechanistic understanding of host–microbiome interactions. This study employed an integrated multi-omics approach combining ileal transcriptomics, fecal microbiomics, and metabolomics to investigate the effects of dietary L. plantarum supplementation in weaned piglets. Six piglets were assigned to either a control or L. plantarum-supplemented group for two weeks. RNA sequencing, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and gas chromatography mass spectrometry based metabolomics were conducted, followed by integrative analysis using MIMOSA2 and MetaboAnalyst. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1,229 differentially expressed genes enriched in immune-related pathways, including NF-κB and IgA signaling, as well as epithelial barrier regulation. Microbiome profiling revealed increased microbial diversity, enrichment of Lactobacillus, and reduced abundance of Shigella. Functional prediction suggested enhanced innate immune responsiveness. Integrated metabolome–transcriptome analysis highlighted lipid and amino acid metabolic pathways linking microbial metabolites with host gene expression. Overall, L. plantarum supplementation induced coordinated host–microbiome adaptations associated with reduced oxidative stress, improved intestinal barrier stability, and enhanced immune resilience. These findings provide mechanistic evidence supporting L. plantarum as a promising nutritional strategy to mitigate postweaning stress and improve piglet intestinal health.

Keywords: Piglet; Microbiota; Gut; Lactobacillus; Multi-Omics Integration