Colostrum-Induced Temporary Changes in the Expression of Proteins Regulating the Epithelial Barrier Function in the Intestine

Sylwia Rzeszotek,Aleksandra Jaroń,Grzegorz Trybek,Agnieszka Kolasa,Maciej Tarnowski,Karol Serwin,Gabriela Schneider,Barbara Wiszniewska

doi:10.3390/foods11050685

Sylwia Rzeszotek, Aleksandra Jaroń + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11050685

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Abstract

The intestinal wall and epithelial cells are interconnected by numerous intercellular junctions. Colostrum (Col), in its natural form, is a secretion of the mammary gland of mammals at the end of pregnancy and up to 72 h after birth. Recently, it has been used as a biologically active dietary supplement with a high content of lactoferrin (Lf). Lf, a glycoprotein with a broad spectrum of activity, is becoming more popular in health-promoting supplements. This study aims to investigate whether Col supplementation can affect small and large intestine morphology by modulating the expression of selected proteins involved in tissue integrity. We examined the thickness of the epithelium, and the length of the microvilli, and assessed the expression of CDH1, CDH2, CTNNB, CX43, VCL, OCLN, HP, MYH9, and ACTG2 gene levels using qRT-PCR and at the protein level using IHC. Additionally, to evaluate whether the effect of Col supplementation is temporary or persistent, we performed all analyses on tissues collected from animals receiving Col for 1, 3, or 6 months. We noticed a decrease in CDH1 and CDH2 expression, especially after 3 months of supplementation in the large intestine and in CTNNB in the small intestine as well as increased levels of CX43 and CTNNB1 in the small intestine. The present data indicate that Col can temporarily alter some components of the cell adhesion molecules involved in the formation of the cellular barrier.

Highlights

The intestinal barrier is a dynamic structure composed of many elements—epithelial cells, lamina propria, immune cells, gut microbiota, the mucous layer, and, cooperating with them, cell adhesion molecules participating in the formation of cellular junctions (CJ)
It should be emphasized that cell adhesion molecules are expressed on the surface of enterocytes and on the other cells that make up the intestinal wall, e.g., goblet cells, neuroendocrine cells, Paneth cells, fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, etc
The results of our study showed that Col supplementation did not affect the expression of CDH1 in the small intestine; in the large intestine, after 3 months of treatment with Col (Col-t2), a significantly lower expression was observed compared to the control (Ctrl-t2)

Summary

Introduction

The intestinal barrier is a dynamic structure composed of many elements—epithelial cells, lamina propria, immune cells, gut microbiota, the mucous layer, and, cooperating with them, cell adhesion molecules participating in the formation of cellular junctions (CJ). Many factors can change the expression of intercellular junction proteins, including several supplements such as vitamins A, C, D, and zinc, or pickled food [2]. Lf was shown to have anti-cancer, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory [3], and anti-fungal properties [4]. It ameliorates, inter alia, hypertension [5], gastrointestinal ulcers [6], cardiovascular diseases [7,8] or bone regeneration [9]. Lf was shown to be an important regulator of the gastrointestinal immune response [10] and can affect the expression of some tight junction (TJ) proteins in vitro [11]

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