Exploring the Link Between Mucin 2 and Weaning Stress-Related Diarrhoea in Piglets

To explore the relationship between intestinal mucin 2 () and weaning-induced diarrhoea in piglets, we analysed and piglets. The piglets were divided into a healthy weaned group, a weaned diarrhoea group, and a healthy unweaned control group. Intestinal tissues were collected, and goblet cell numbers, sizes, and degrees of intestinal injury were observed and recorded. Intestinal tissue mRNA and protein expression were analysed via quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and Western blotting. presented significantly lower diarrhoea rates and intestinal injury scores than ( < 0.01). The intestinal injury scores in the weaned diarrhoea group were significantly greater than those in the unweaned groups ( < 0.05), with consistently exhibiting lower injury scores than . Specifically, unweaned presented significantly greater duodenal mRNA ( < 0.05), and weaned healthy presented notably greater expression in both the duodenum and jejunum ( < 0.01). These findings reveal enhanced intestinal protection against weaning stress and diarrhoea in , with elevated levels likely contributing to lower injury scores and milder symptoms, thus highlighting the influence of genetic differences.