This study was to illustrate the effects of
fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on the
antioxidant capacity, intestinal barrier function, and microbial community of weanling pigs. Results showed that FOS reduced the incidence of
diarrhea (6.5 vs. 10.8%) of pigs (p < 0.05) but did not affect growth performance when compared with the control group. A diet supplemented with FOS increased ileal
mRNA expression of
occludin (1.7 vs. 1.0),
claudin-1 (1.9 vs. 1.0),
claudin-2 (1.8 vs. 1.0), and
claudin-4 (1.7 vs. 1.0), as well as colonic
mRNA expression of ZO-1 (1.6 vs. 1.0),
claudin-1 (1.7 vs. 1.0),
occludin (1.9 vs. 1.0), and pBD-1 (1.5 vs. 1.0) when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). FOS supplementation improved the anti-
oxidase activity and expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), and decreased concentrations of D-
lactate (3.05 U/L vs. 2.83 U/L) and TNF-α (59.1 pg/mL vs. 48.0 pg/mL) in the serum when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). In addition, FOS increased Sharpea, Megasphaera, and Bacillus populations in the gut when compared with the control group (p < 0.05). Association analysis indicated that
mRNA expression of
occludin and
claudin-1 in the ileal mucosa were correlated positively with populations of Sharpea and Bacillus (p < 0.05). Furthermore,
mRNA expression of
occludin and
claudin-1 in the colonic mucosa were correlated positively with abundances of Sharpea, Lactobocillus, and Bifidobacterium (p < 0.05). In conclusion, FOS activated Nrf2 signaling and increased the expression of specific
tight junction proteins, which were associated with reduced
diarrhea incidence.