PMC

(A) Heat map illustrating differences in global gene expression among control rats and rats treated with folic acid, tributyrin, or combination of folic acid and tributyrin. The color bar identifies high-expressed (red) and low-expressed (green) genes. (B) Principal component analysis illustrating similarities within groups, as evidenced by tight clustering of samples within groups, and differences among control rats (n =4) and rats treated with folic acid, tributyrin, or the combination of folic acid and tributyrin (n =3). (C) Venn diagram showing significant differences among control rats and rats treated with folic acid, tributyrin, or the combination of folic acid and tributyrin.

( a) Tributyrin agar plate assay. Tributyrin hydrolysis zone (clearing zone) is visible for E. coli strains expressing LesBMUT2 and not for LesB or empty vector (EV) strains. ( b) A4-Methylumbelliferyl butyrate (4-MUB) fluorescent assay detecting tributyrin hydrolysis activity of LesB, LesBMUT2 and EV (empty vector) proteins expressed in E. coli.

(A) Molecular network interactions between the common differentially expressed genes significantly different between control rats and rats treated with folic acid, tributyrin, or the combination of folic acid and tributyrin were visualized using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis database (version 9.0). Up-regulated genes are identified in red, down-regulated in green. (B) Representative CD34 immunohistochemical staining of liver tissues from control rats (1) and rats treated with folic acid (2), tributyrin (3), or the combination of folic acid and tributyrin (4). Arrows point to some of the representative CD34-positive microvessel staining; arrowhead points to non-specific staining that was excluded from the analysis. (C) Quantitative analysis of CD34 immunohistochemical staining. ^a - Significantly different from control rats (mean ± SD, n = 5). (D) Western blot analysis of CD34 protein. The results are presented as an average percent change in the level of CD34 protein in the livers of rats treated with treated with folic acid, tributyrin, or the combination of folic acid and tributyrin relative to that in control rats, which was assigned a value 100%. ^a - Significantly different from control rats (mean ± SD, n = 5). Representative western blot images are shown.

Effects of tributyrin administration on intestinal microbiota composition of calves on d 56 (n = 6). (A) Venn diagram of jejunum. (B) Venn diagram of ileum. (C) Alpha-diversity in jejunum. (D) Alpha-diversity in ileum. CON = control, supplemented with no tributyrin; TRB = tributyrin, supplemented with 2 g/L of milk.