Abstract
Background: Weaning stress can lead to the disruption of tight junctions and increased intestinal permeabilty, which contributes to the initiation and development of many disease, such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Pigs are more ideal models for human studies than other animals. However, no information is found about the relationship of intestinal integrity and spermine supplementation in pigs. The objective of this study is to investigate whether spermine protects intestinal barrier integrity via Rac1/PLC-γ1 signalling pathway in piglets. Methods: In vivo, the piglets were categorised into the control group and the spermine group, which was fed with spermine at 0.4 mmol kg−1 body weight for 7 hours and 3, 6 and 9 days. In vitro, we examined whether spermine protects the intestinal barrier after TNF-α challenge through Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1)/Phospho-lipase C-γ1 (PLC-γ1) signalling pathway. Results: In vivo study revealed that the spermine treatment upregulated tight junction protein mRNA levels and Rac1/PLC-γ1 signalling pathway gene expression in the jejunum of piglets. The serum D-lactate content was significantly reduced after spermine treatment (P < 0.05). In vitro study revealed that 0.1 μM spermine significantly increased the levels of tight junction protein expression, Rac1/PLC-γ1 signalling pathway and transepithelial electrical resistance, and decreased paracellular permeability (P < 0.05). Further experiments showed that spermine treatment increased the levels of tight junction protein expression, Rac1/PLC-γ1 signalling pathway and transepithelial electrical resistance, and decreased paracellular permeability compared with the NSC-23766 and U73122 treatment with spermine after TNF-α challenge (P < 0.05). Conclusion: spermine protects intestinal integrity through the Rac1/PLC-γ1 signalling pathway.
Acetaminophen changes paracellular transport activity through regulation of the tight junction protein in an intestinal barrier model