Calcium-sensing receptor protects intestinal integrity and alleviates the inflammatory response via the Rac1/PLCγ1 signaling pathway

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This study aimed to test the hypothesis that the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) can protect intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and decrease inflammatory response mediated by the Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (Rac1)/phospholipase Cγ1 (PLC-γ1) signaling pathway. IPEC-J2 monolayers were treated without or with TNF-α in the absence or presence of CaSR antagonist (NPS 2143), CaSR overexpression, and Rac1 silencing, PLCγ1 silencing or spermine. Results showed that spermine increased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER), tight junction protein levels, the protein concentration of Rac1/PLC-γ1 signaling pathway, and decreased paracellular permeability in the presence of TNF-α. NPS2143 inhibited spermine-induced change in above-mentioned parameters. CaSR overexpression increased TER, the levels of tight junction proteins and the protein concentration of CaSR, phosphorylated PLCγ1, Rac1, and IP3, and decreased paracellular permeability and contents of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and TNF-α after TNF-α challenge. Rac1 and PLCγ1 silencing inhibited CaSR-induced increase in barrier function and the protein concentration of phosphorylated PLCγ1, Rac1, and IP3, and decrease in contents of IL-8 and TNF-α after TNF-α challenge. These results suggest that CaSR activation protects intestinal integrity and alleviates the inflammatory response by activating Rac1 and PLCγ1 signaling after TNF-α challenge, and spermine can maintain barrier function via CaSR/Rac1/PLC-γ1 pathway.