Expression Of sIgA Research Articles

Isoleucine Enhanced the Function of the Small Intestinal Mucosal Barrier in Weaned Piglets to Alleviate Rotavirus Infection.

Rotavirus (RV) is a major cause of diarrhea in young children and animals, especially piglets, leading to substantial economic losses in the global pig industry. Isoleucine (Ile), a branched-chain amino acid, plays an important role in regulating nutrient metabolism and has been shown to improve diarrhea. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Ile supplementation on the mucosal immune barrier of the small intestine in RV-infected weaned piglets. Forty-eight 21-day-old weaned piglets were randomly divided into three dietary treatments (each treatment was subdivided into two groups, eight replicates per group), with 0%, 0.5%, or 1% Ile added for 15 days, and then, one group from each treatment was challenged with RV. The results showed that 1% Ile added to the diet promoted the healthy development of the intestinal mucosa. Ile could restore the reduced villus height in the ileum and the goblet cell number in the duodenum and ileum to normal levels, improving the intestinal epithelial tight junctions in RV-infected piglets. Additionally, Ile increased the activity of lipase, amylase, and sucrase, as well as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), along with the expression of SIgA, DEFβ1, and DEFβ2 in parts of the small intestine. The addition of Ile to the diet mitigated the effects of RV infection on intestinal morphology and mucosal barrier function, as well as the physiological functions of weaned piglets, and improved the antioxidant and immune functions of the piglets to some extent. These findings offer valuable insights, contributing to a deeper understanding of the role of Ile in supporting intestinal health.

Combination of Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum ELF051 and Astragalus Polysaccharides Improves Intestinal Barrier Function and Gut Microbiota Profiles in Mice with Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the improvement of the intestinal barrier and gut microbiota in mice with antibiotic-associated diarrhea (AAD) using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum ELF051 combined with Astragalus polysaccharides. The amoxicillin, clindamycin, and streptomycin triple-mixed antibiotic-induced AAD models were administered with L. plantarum ELF051 or Astragalus polysaccharidesorL. plantarum ELF051 + Astragaluspolysaccharidesfor 14days. Our findings revealed that the combination of L. plantarum ELF051 and Astragalus polysaccharides elevated the number of goblet cells and enhanced the proportion of mucous within the colon tissue. Furthermore, the expression of sIgA and IgG were upregulated, while the levels of IL-17A, IL-4, DAO, D-LA, LPS, and TGF-β1 were downregulated. L. plantarum ELF051 combined with Astragalus polysaccharides elevated the expression of tight junction (TJ)proteins, facilitating intestinal mucosal repair via Smad signaling nodes. Furthermore, their combination effectively increased the relative abundance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Allobaculum, and decreased the relative abundance of Bacteroides and Blautia. Spearman rank correlation analysis demonstrated that LAB were closely related to permeability factors, immune factors, and indicators of intestinal barrier function. In summary, the effect of combining L. plantarum ELF051 and Astragalus polysaccharides on AAD mice was achieved by enhancing intestinal barrier function and regulating the composition of the gut microbiota.

Fecal virus transplantation has more moderate effect than fecal microbiota transplantation on changing gut microbial structure in broiler chickens

Growing evidence of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) and fecal virus transplantation (FVT) provides a possibility to regulate animal health, whereas little is known about the impact of the 2 methods. This study aimed to investigate the effects of gut microbes on jejunal function in healthy broiler chickens, with the objective of establishing a theoretical basis for the application of FMT and FVT. Cecal feces from 28-day-old AA broilers were collected to prepare gavage juice for FMT and FVT. FMT for Group FM, FVT for group FV and PBS gavage for group CON, continuously treated for 6 days start at 5-day-old chicks. Samples were collected at d 11 and d 21. The results showed that the treatment d 2 and the overall fecal score in treatment groups were significantly lower than CON group (P < 0.05). The jejunum morphology showed that FMT increased crypt depth, decreased villus height, V/C (P < 0.05) and FVT increased villus height (P < 0.05) at d 11. At d 21, villus height and crypt depth significantly higher (P < 0.05) in group FM and group FV. The expression of Claudin1, Occludin, ZO2, and Muc2 in the FV group was significantly increased (P < 0.05) at 11-day-old. FMT increased the secretion of sIgA at 11-day-old, and this influence lasted up to 21-day-old (P < 0.05). At 11-day-old, the expression of b0+AT of basic amino acid transport carrier and chymotrypsin activity (P < 0.05) had a significant correlation. At 21 d of age, FVT significantly increased the expression of PepT1 and SGLT1 (P < 0.05). At 11-day-old, FM group showed significantly higher faith pd index (P = 0.004) and Shannon index (P = 0.037), and separated from FV and CON according to PCoA. Among differentiating bacteria, Bacteroides significantly enriched (P < 0.05) in group FM, which positively correlated with the expression of ZO2, Muc2, Occludin, and Claudin1; R_Ruminococcus, L_Ruminococcus, Butyricicoccuss significantly enriched (P < 0.05) in group CON, which significantly higher than processing groups, R_Ruminococcus and L_Ruminococcus negatively correlated with the expression of Occludin (P < 0.05), and R_Ruminococcus, Butyricicoccus negatively correlated with the expression of Claudin1 (P < 0.05). At 21-day-old, PCoA based on Bray-Curtis shows that microbes taxa of 3 groups are isolated with each other and treatment groups were significant different with CON group based on Unweighted UniFrac and weighted UniFrac. The expression of PepT1 was significantly negatively (P < 0.05) correlated with Ruminococcus, and the expression of sIgA was significantly negatively (P < 0.05) correlated with Parabacteroides. In conclusion, FMT regulated intestinal flora rapidly, while it had little effect on intestinal function and a higher potential damaging risk on jejunal. FVT regulated intestinal flora structure softer, improved tight junction expression, but the mechanism of action needs further exploration.

Poria cocos polysaccharide improves intestinal barrier function and maintains intestinal homeostasis in mice

The function of the intestinal tract is critical to human health. Poria cocos is a widely used functional edible fungus in Asia and has been reported to modulate gastrointestinal function. However, the effects of polysaccharides, the main active constituents of Poria cocos, on the intestinal tract remains unclear and is the focus of the study. Poria cocos polysaccharides (PCP) were extracted, characterized, and administered to mice by gavage. The results show that PCP used in this study has a typical polysaccharide peak with a molecular weight of 11.583 kDa and is composed primarily of mannose, D-glucosamine hydrochloride, glucose, galactose, and fucose with a molar ratio of 15.308: 0.967: 28.723: 31.631: 23.371. The methylation results suggest that the PCP backbone may be t-Gal(p), 6-Gal(p) and 2,6-Gal(p). The effects of PCP on the mucosal barrier function of the mouse intestine (duodenum, jejunum, and ileum) were examined in terms of intestinal physiological status, physical barrier, biochemical barrier, immune barrier, and microbial barrier. The results showed that PCP significantly improved the physiological state of mouse intestine. Moreover, PCP strengthened the intestinal physical barrier by upregulating the expression of intestinal Occludin and ZO-1 and downregulating the levels of serum endotoxin, DAO, D-lactate, and intestinal MPO. Regarding biochemical barrier, PCP could upregulate the expression of MUC2, β-defensin, and SIgA in intestinal tissues. In addition, PCP modulated the immune barrier by increasing IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β, and IFN-γ expression. Besides, PCP increased the level of SCFAs in small intestinal contents. PCP modulates intestinal barrier function by altering the microbial composition of the gut. We also found that PCP could maintain intestinal barrier function by increasing the expression of Wnt/β-Catenin and Lrp5 proteins. Generally, our findings suggested that PCP may be used as a functional food to regulate intestinal mucosal function, thereby enhancing the health of the intestinal and host.

Probiotics treatment ameliorated mycophenolic acid-induced colitis by enhancing intestinal barrier function and improving intestinal microbiota dysbiosis in mice.

Mycophenolic acid (MPA)-induced colitis was still a severe side effect and challenge faced by solid transplant recipients. We aimed to explore the function and mechanism of probiotics in the treatment of MPA-induced colitis. In this study, 15 mice (C57BL/6) were randomly assigned into three groups: control (CNTL) group (n = 5), MPA group (n = 5) and the MPA + Probiotic group (n = 5). Bifid Triple Viable capsules, which were drugs for clinical use and consisted of Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Enterococcus faecalis, were used in Probiotic group. Body weight change, stool scores, colon histopathology and morphology were used to evaluate the disease severity. The intestinal mucosal barrier function was assessed by measuring the expression level of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), Zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin. Finally, 16S rDNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed on mice feces to compare the different intestinal microbial composition and diversity among three groups. Compared with the CNTL group, the mice in MPA group showed a significantly decreased body weight, increased stool scores, shortened colon length and severe colon inflammation. However, probiotics treated MPA mice reversed the disease severity, indicating that probiotics ameliorated MPA-induced colitis in mice. Mechanistically, probiotics improved the intestinal barrier function by up-regulating the expression of sIgA, ZO-1 and Occludin. Moreover, MPA-induced colitis led to intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, including the change of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio, α- and β-diversity. But probiotic treated group showed mild change in these microbial features. Additionally, we found that Clostridiales was the most significantly different microbiota flora in MPA group. Probiotics treatment ameliorated MPA-induced colitis by enhancing intestinal barrier function and improving intestinal microbiota dysbiosis. Clostridiales might be the dominant functional intestinal microflora and serve as the potential therapy target in MPA-induced colitis.

Xiong Fu Powder Regulates the Intestinal Microenvironment to Protect Bones Against Destruction in Collagen-Induced Arthritis Rat Models

BackgroundChanges in the intestinal microenvironment affected bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and spleen deficiency (SD) was closely related to the intestinal microenvironment. In this study, we aimed to explore the aggravation of SD on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and the bone protection of compound Xiong Fu powder (XFP) on CIA with SD (SD-CIA) based on the intestinal microenvironment.MethodAn SD-CIA rat model was established using Rheum officinale Baill. decoction combined with CIA and then treated with XFP. The aggravating action of SD on CIA rats and the efficacy of XFP were evaluated using AI scores, H&E staining of the joint, and level of serum anti–collagen type II antibody (Col II Ab). Bone destruction was assessed by micro-CT and TRACP staining. In addition, flow cytometry, qRT-PCR, and ELISA were used to evaluate gut mucosal immunity. Moreover, metagenomic sequencing was used to determine the distribution and function of the gut microbiota.ResultsCompared with that in CIA rats, bone destruction in SD-CIA rats was aggravated, as manifested by increased AI scores, more severe joint pathological changes and radiological damage, and increased number of osteoclasts (OCs) in the ankle joint. Meanwhile, the proportion of Tregs/Th17 cells was biased toward Th17 cells in Peyer’s patches. Furthermore, the gene levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 were increased. In contrast, the expression of IL-10 and sIgA was decreased in the jejunum and ileum. XFP treatment improved bone damage and intestinal mucosal immune disorders compared with the SD-CIA group. In addition, the distribution and function of the gut microbiota were altered in the SD-CIA group. After XFP treatment, the community and function of the gut microbiota were regulated, manifested as increased abundance of several Lactobacillus species, such as L. acidophilus, which regulates the intestinal Tregs/Th17 cells and quorum sensing pathways, followed by promoting probiotic adhesion to the intestines.ConclusionSD can aggravate bone destruction in CIA rats. Compound XFP may attenuate bone destruction in SD-CIA rats by regulating the intestinal microenvironment. One of the mechanisms is the cross-talk between sIgA secretion regulated by intestinal mucosal Tregs and Th17 cells and adhesion of Lactobacillus mediated by quorum sensing.

Royal Jelly Protected against Dextran-Sulfate-Sodium-Induced Colitis by Improving the Colonic Mucosal Barrier and Gut Microbiota.

Royal jelly (RJ) is a natural bee product that contains a variety of biologically active ingredients and has antitumor, antiallergic, antibacterial and immune-regulating effects. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestine that can cause abdominal pain and diarrhea. With this study, we aimed to explore the protective effect of RJ on DSS-induced colitis in mice. The physiochemical parameters (water, protein, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, total sugar, starch, ash and acidity) of the RJ samples used in this study met the requirements of the international and Chinese national standards. Treatment with RJ improved symptoms and colonic cell apoptosis and decreased intestinal permeability by increasing the expression of tight-junction protein, goblet cells and their secretion mucin, MUC2, in DSS-induced ulcerative colitis mice. RJ also reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 and increased the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and sIgA. DSS resulted in an increase in the relative abundance of Parabacteroides, Erysipelotrichaceae, Proteobacteria (Gammaproteobacteria, Enterobacteriales and Enterobacteriaceae) and Escherichia Shigella in the colon and a decrease in the relative abundance of Muribaculum. In the RJ treatment group, the relative abundance of the above intestinal flora was improved by treatment with 2.0 g/kg RJ. These results suggested that RJ alleviated DSS-induced colitis by improving the colonic mucosal barrier.

The sIgA and histatin-5 expressions in saliva of early childhood caries and caries-free children based on period times

To analyze the level of sIgA and Histatin-5 expression in Early Childhood Caries (ECC) and caries-free children. Saliva was collected from 31 subjects of ECC and 29 caries-free (ages 9-32 months). The level expression of sIgA and Histatin 5 was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The distribution and frequency of subjects consist of boys 47% and girls 53% with the average of ages 1-12 month 21% and 13-24 month 79%.sIgA and Histatin 5 expressions differ from the month periods tested (1, 3, and 9 months) but do not show any significant difference from each examination period (1 with three months; p0.05: 0.116), (1 with nine months; p 0.05: 0.766), and (3 to 9 months; p0.05: 0.398). The expression of sIgA and Histatin 5 of boys and girls were not significant (p0.05:0.550) and weak correlation (r = 0.079).The level expression of sIgA in the Caries-free higher than ECC (p0.05). Whereas the expression of Histatin 5 in ECC higher than Caries-free (p0.05). The sIgA correlating in ECC and caries-free is significant (p0.05) and no correlation (r =- 0,29). Whereas Histatin 5 in the ECC and caries-free were strong correlation = 0,84. Both the result of ECC and caries-free suggested that the antibodies have been involved in the caries pathogenesis. In the ECC cases that occurred to decrease sIgA levels and increased of Histatin 5 levels, both antibodies have expressed in Caries-free Children. Both sIgA and Histatin 5 involved in the pathogenesis caries infection in children.KEYWORDS: Antibodies; Early Childhood Caries; saliva; secretory immunoglobulin A; Histatin-5

A Study on the Preparation of Microbial and Nonstarch Polysaccharide Enzyme Synergistic Fermented Maize Cob Feed and Its Feeding Efficiency in Finishing Pigs.

1000 g maize cob mixed material was synergistically fermented by adding 2.5% composite probiotics and 0.06-0.08% NSP (nonstarch polysaccharide) enzyme to prepare fermented feed, and its effectiveness as feed for fattening pigs was investigated. The results showed that the appearance, texture, and nutrient quality of maize cobs significantly improved after fermentation, the total number of bacteria was 4.5 × 1010 CFU/g, and the protein content was 7.1%. Compared to the control group, the pigs in the 6% fermented maize cob feed experimental group showed significantly increased daily feed intake, daily weight gain, and nutrient digestion rate (p < 0.05) and reduced feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05). Most indicators including slaughter performance and meat quality significantly improved. In addition, beneficial bacteria including Lactobacillus in the intestines of the finishing pigs significantly increased, and pathogenic bacteria including Escherichia coli in the intestines and feces were found to be significantly reduced (p < 0.05). The intestinal crypt depth, VH/CD ratio, and ileal mucosal immunity of the finishing pigs also significantly improved (p < 0.05). The cytokine content and gene expression of sIgA, IL-8, and TNF-α were found to be significantly increased (p < 0.05). It could be concluded that the addition of 6% fermented maize cob feed to the diets of finishing pigs could promote their growth, improve their production performance and slaughter performance meat quality, and enhance their intestinal microecological balance and immunity.

Prolonged exposure to high humidity and high temperature environment can aggravate influenza virus infection through intestinal flora and Nod/RIP2/NF-κB signaling pathway

Seasonal influenza is an acute viral infection caused by influenza virus, which is often prevalent in the summer and winter. The influenza virus can infect pigs and poultry. Some literature reports that the influenza virus has an outbreak in summer. The summer climate is characterized by a high humidity and high temperature environment, which is the same as many animal feeding and growing environments. We established a flu animal model under a high temperature and humidity environment during the day to observe the impact of high humidity and high temperature environment on the mice after contracting the influenza virus. Our results indicate that the intestinal flora of 16 s rDNA cultured in High humidity and high temperature environment changes, the intestinal mucosal permeability increases, the expression of pIgR, sIgA, and IgA in the intestinal mucosal immune system decreases, and the NLR immune recognition signaling pathway NOD1 is activated. The expression of related genes such as NOD2, NF-κB, and pIgR increases, which leads to the increase of related inflammatory factors in the vicinity of the intestines, aggravating local inflammation. High humidity and high temperature environment can cause the expression of inflammatory cytokines in the body to rise, causing Th17/Treg immune imbalance, inhibiting Treg maturation and differentiation, and increasing the expression of IL-2, IL-6, and other cytokines, while the expression of IFN-γ and IL-17A decreases. This condition worsens after infection with the influenza virus. Overall, our study found that High humidity and high temperature environment affect the intestinal flora and the body's immune status, thereby aggravating the status of influenza virus infection.

Role of intestinal barrier in the pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis

Objective To observe and analyze the role of intestinal barrier in the pathognesis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), to explain the pathogenesis of AIH and to explore the intestinal based new treatment strategies. Methods A total of 14 AIH patients from January to December 2017 at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital (six patients without liver cirrhosis, and eight patients with liver cirrhosis) and 10 healthy controls were enrolled. The serum levels of D-lactic acid (D-Lac) and diamine oxidase (DAO) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the relative expression levels of connexin (zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1), occludin), cytokines (interleukin(IL)-2, interferon(IFN)-γ, IL-4, IL-10) and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in terminal ileal tissues of each group. The relative expression of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) in the terminal ileum was determined by Western blotting. Thirty BALB/c mice were selected and divided into blank control group, dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) group, concanavalin A (ConA) group, DSS+ ConA group, and DSS+ bacterium+ ConA group, with six mice in each group. The relative expression levels of ZO-1, occludin in mouse colonic tissues, serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, and inflammatory activity degree of liver tissues (Knodell score) of each group were measured. T-test and one-way analysis of variance were performed for statistical analysis. Results The serum D-Lac and DAO levels of AIH with liver cirrhosis group and AIH without liver cirrhosis group were both higher than those of healthy control group ((1 768.2±147.1) μg/L, (436.2±197.0) μg/L vs. (100.2±10.9) μg/L, and (11.5±2.5) U/L, (5.4±0.9) U/mL vs. (3.5±0.9) U/mL), and the levels of D-Lac and DAO of AIH with liver cirrhosis group were the highest; and the differences were statistically significant (t=5.512, 36.010, 4.088 and 9.443, F=396.958 and 46.640, all P<0.01). The relative expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin in the terminal ileal mucosa of AIH with liver cirrhosis group were lower than those of healthy control group (0.20±0.14 vs. 1.67±0.51, 0.12±0.09 vs. 0.90±0.21), and the relative expression of ZO-1 in AIH without liver cirrhosis group was lower than that in healthy control group (0.99±0.37 vs. 1.67±0.51); and the differences were statistically significant (t=8.641, 7.407 and 2.295, all P<0.05). The relative expression levels of IL-2 and IFN-γ in terminal ileal tissues of AIH with liver cirrhosis group were higher than those of healthy control group (1.11±0.43 vs. 0.24 ±0.16, and 3.50 ± 1.90 vs. 0.32±0.30), however the relative expression of sIgA in terminal ileal tissues was lower than that of healthy control group (0.506±0.024 vs. 1.081±0.102); and the differences were statistically significant (t=4.679, 3.981 and 5.493, all P<0.05). While the relative expression levels of IL-10 in AIH with liver cirrhosis group and AIH without liver cirrhosis group were lower than that in healthy control group (0.30±0.20, 0.42±0.24 vs. 0.84± 0.23), and the relative expression levels of TLR4 in ileum mucosa of the both groups were higher than that of healthy control group (8.74 ±5.13, 6.74 ±3.65 vs. 0.89 ± 0.70); and the differences were statistically significant (t=3.095, 4.816, 3.856 and 3.685, all P<0.05). The relative expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin of DSS+ ConA group were lower than those of ConA group (0.14±0.08 vs. 0.98±0.13, and 0.09±0.02 vs. 0.98±0.16), however serum ALT, AST levels and the Knodell score were all higher than those of ConA group ((5 496.67±618.83) U/L vs. (3 325.00±1 030.06) U/L, (8 825.00±1 165.35) U/L vs. (5 433.33±1 691.14) U/L, and 18.00±2.00 vs. 9.33±3.01); and the differences were statistically significant (t=13.480, 13.520, 4.227, 4.045 and -2.892, all P<0.05). The relative expression levels of ZO-1 and occludin in DSS+ bacterium+ ConA group were higher than those in DSS+ ConA group (0.46±0.08 vs. 0.14±0.08, and 0.53±0.15 vs. 0.09±0.02), while serum ALT and AST levels were lower than those of DSS+ ConA group ((4 343.33±252.16) U/L vs. (5 496.67±618.83) U/L, and (6 123.33±1 086.60) U/L vs. (8 825.00±1 165.35) U/L); and the differences were statistically significant (t=6.928, 7.122, 4.228 and 4.153, all P<0.01). Conclusions AIH patients have increased intestinal permeability and impaired intestinal barrier which is more serious in patients with liver cirrhosis than in patients without cirrhosis. The intestinal barrier injury can aggravate ConA-induced immune-mediated liver injury. While the protection and repair of intestinal barrier can alleviate immune-mediated liver injury induced by ConA. Key words: Hepatitis, autoimmune; Concanavalin A; Intestinal mucosal barrier; Dextran sulfate sodium; Bifidobacterium

Resveratrol alleviates heat stress-induced impairment of intestinal morphology, barrier integrity and inflammation in yellow-feather broilers

Context Heat stress is one of the problems commonly found in broiler industry in tropic and subtropic regions that results in impairment of intestinal integrity, leading to inflammation and poor performance. Aims This study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary resveratrol supplementation on growth performance, intestinal morphology and barrier integrity, and inflammation response of yellow-feather broilers under heat stress. Methods In total, 288 birds (28-day-old) were randomly allotted to three treatment groups, with six replicates. A thermo-neutral group (24 ± 2°C) received a basal diet and two heat-stressed groups (37 ± 2°C for 8 h/day and 24 ± 2°C for the remaining time) were fed the basal diet (HT) or basal diet supplemented with 500 mg/kg resveratrol for 14 consecutive days. Key results Compared with the thermo-neutral group, birds in the HT group had a decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) average daily feed intake, average daily gain, villus height, villus height to crypt depth ratio, mRNA concentrations of mucin-2, secreted immunoglobulin A (sIgA), claudin-1,zona occludens-1 and serum concentrations of interferon γ, and increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) feed to gain ratio, crypt depth, mRNA levels of expression of heat-shock protein (HSP) 70, HSP90, nuclear factor kappa B, mucin-4, claudin-2 and serum concentrations of endotoxin, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α on Day 3 and Day 14, except for claudin-1 on Day 14 and TNF-α on Day 3 (P &amp;gt; 0.05). Compared with HT group, birds in HT supplemented with resveratrol group decreased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) crypt depth (in jejunum on Day 3, ileum on Day 14), mRNA levels of expression of HSP70, HSP90, nuclear factor kappa B, mucin-4, claudin-2 and serum concentrations of endotoxin, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α, and increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) average daily feed intake (+11%), average daily gain (+22%) and villus height, villus height to crypt depth ratio, mRNA levels of expression of mucin-2, sIgA, claudin-1,zona occludens-1 and serum concentrations of interferon γ, although with few fluctuations between Day 3 and Day 14. Conclusions Dietary supplementation of resveratrol was effective in partially alleviating the adverse effects of heat stress on growth performance and intestinal barrier function in yellow-feather broilers, by restoring the impaired villus-crypt structure, altering the mRNA expression of intestinal HSPs, mucins, sIgA and tight junction-related gene, and inhibiting secretion of pro-inflammation cytokines. Implications Dietary resveratrol supplementation is a considerable nutritional strategy to anti-stress in animal production.

Effect of carvacrol essential oils on growth performance and intestinal barrier function in broilers with lipopolysaccharide challenge

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of orally administrated carvacrol essential oils (CEOs) on the function of the intestinal barrier in broilers challenged by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Eighty 28-day-old Ross 308 broilers were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments (20 pens of 1 chick/treatment). Factors were CEOs (with or without orally administered) and LPS (challenged or non-challenged). Individually housed broilers were randomly assigned to four treatments (n = 20 broilers per treatment: 10 males and 10 females): no CEOs and no LPS challenge (NCEOs + NLPS); CEOs and no LPS challenge (CEOs + NLPS); no CEOs and LPS challenge (NCEOs + LPS); CEOs and LPS challenge (CEOs + LPS); all birds were fed the same diet. The broilers were administered 200 μL CEOs daily for 15 days. Orally administered CEOs significantly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) increased the gene expressions of occludin, claudin-1, claudin-5, zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and ZO-2 in the small intestinal mucosa, and increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the counts of goblet cell in the small intestinal epithelium; LPS-challenge damaged the intestinal barrier, and significantly (P &amp;lt; 0.05) reduced the gene expression of the aforementioned genes and increased the Escherichia coli (P &amp;lt; 0.05) and Salmonella enumeration (P &amp;lt; 0.05) in the intestine of broilers compared with the NCEOs + NLPS group. Injecting LPS reduced (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the gene expression of sIgA compared with the NCEOs + NLPS group. In summary, the CEOs improved the development of the intestinal barrier, to a certain extent, and repaired the intestinal damage caused by LPS.

Effects of oral florfenicol on intestinal structure, function and microbiota in mice.

Many kinds of antibiotics have effects on intestinal structure and function. In the current experimental study, we evaluate the effect of oral florfenicol on intestinal barrier in mice. Thirty adult male mice were randomly divided into two groups, the group none (N) and the group florfenicol (F), the mice in group F were orally administered florfenicol 100mg/kg body weight (BW) for 7days. At day 8, mice were euthanized and sampled for the analysis of alterations in genes and proteins from jejunum, jejunum morphology and microbiota analysis. Administration of florfenicol caused higher liver index (P < 0.05). In the jejunum, mucosa injury and villus rupture, compared with the group N, the villus length and V/C (villus length/crypt depth) in group F were marked decrease (P < 0.01). The transcription level of Muc2 and occludin in group F were significantly lower than those in group N (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The expression of APRIL, IL-17, IL-22, BAFF and sIgA on protein level were significantly down-regulated (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05), while the expression of IL-10, TGF-β, IL-6, IL-4 were significantly up-regulated (P < 0.01) in group F. The abundances of bacteria in Firmicutes and Lactobacillus decreased significantly (P < 0.01) in group F. Our results indicated that oral administration of florfenicol might have a negative impact on functions of intestinal mucosal barrier, immune system and the intestinal microbiota.

Necrotic Enteritis in Broiler Chickens: The Role of Tight Junctions and Mucosal Immune Responses in Alleviating the Effect of the Disease.

Necrotic enteritis (NE) continues to present major challenges to the poultry industry, and the etiologic agent Clostridium perfringens is the fourth leading cause of bacterially-induced food- borne illnesses in the US. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of a probiotic during naturally occurring NE. On day of hatch, 1080 Cobb 500 male broilers were randomly allocated to three groups (12 replicate pens/treatment, 30 birds/pen) including (1) negative control (NC): corn-soybean meal diet; (2) positive control (PC): NC + 20 mg virginiamycin/kg diet (0.450 kg Stafac®20/ton); and (3) NC + PrimaLac (1.36 and 0.91 kg/ton from 1–21 and 22–42 days, respectively). One day (d) post placement, all birds were challenged by a commercial live oocyst coccidia vaccine as a predisposing factor to NE. Body weight and feed intake were measured at the onset of NE (d 8) and end of each feeding phase. On d 8, small intestines of two birds/pen were examined for NE lesions, and jejunum samples from one bird were collected for mRNA gene expression analysis of tight junction proteins, cytokines, and nutrient transporters. Data were analyzed using the JMP software and significance between treatments identified by LSD (p < 0.05). Compared to NC, supplementation of probiotic reduced d 1–42 mortality; however, PC was the only group with significantly lower mortality. Despite significantly improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) in PC and probiotic groups during d 1–42, average daily gain was only higher in PC (77.69 g/bird) compared with NC (74.99 g/bird). Furthermore, probiotic and PC groups had significantly reduced lesion scores in the duodenum and jejunum compared to NC. Expression of claudin-3 was higher, while expression of zonula occluden-2 tended (p = 0.06) to be higher in probiotic-supplemented birds compared to NC. Moreover, birds fed the probiotic diet had significantly higher expression of IL-10, IL-17, AMPK-α1, and SGLT1 mRNA compared to NC birds. The expression of PepT1 was higher for the probiotic-supplemented group compared to PC. IFN-γ expression was lower in PC compared to NC, while there was no difference between probiotic and NC. There were no differences in gene expression of sIgA, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-22 among treatments. Collectively, these data indicate that in a naturally occurring NE model, supplementation of a probiotic helps to improve FCR and reduce lesions, potentially due to the improvements in mRNA expression of tight junctions, cytokines, and nutrient transporters.

Protective effects of berberine hydrochloride on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in rats

BackgroundBerberine hydrochloride is one the effective compound among Rhizoma Coptidis, Cortex Phellodendri, and other plants. There are several clinical functions of berberine hydrochloride including anti-inflammation, antitumor and immunoregulatory. However, the anti-inflammatory of berberine hydrochloride in ulcerative colitis is barely understood. In this study, we aimed to explore the effects of berberine hydrochloride on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced rats model of ulcerative colitis. MethodsThe severity of colitis were measured by body weight, survial rate, colon length and disease activity index (DAI) score. The cytokines expression include IL-1, IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, TNF-α, TGF-β and IFN-γ were performed by RT-PCR and ELISA. Signaling pathway proteins such as p-STAT3, STAT3, p-NF-κB p65 and NF-κB p65 were analyzed by western blot and immunofluorescence. The proteins expression of tight junction were explored using western blotting and immunohistochemistry. ResultRats were administered berberine hydrochloride showed less weight loss and longer colon length than the DSS-induced group. The expression of IL-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, TGF-β and IFN-γ were suppressed, yet the expression of IL-4 and IL-10 were up-regulated by berberine hydrochloride and sulphasalazine treatment compared to the model group. Meanwhile, treatment with berberine hydrochloride effectively increased the expression of SIgA and decreased the expression of iNOS, MPO, MDA. In terms of the biochemical analyses, the results showed that the expression of p-STAT3 was signifcantly increased, while the expression of p-NF-κB (p65) was suppressed compared to the model group via western blot and immunofluorescence analysis. ConclusionsBerberine hydrochloride has beneficial effects in UC. The possible mechanism of anti-inflammatory response by berberine hydrochloride may involve in the blocking of the IL-6/STAT3/NF-κB signaling pathway. Collectively, these fndings provide evidence that berberine hydrochloride might be a useful herb medicine and serve as a promising novel therapy in the treatment of UC in humans.

Young Children Display Diurnal Patterns of Salivary IgA and Alpha-Amylase Expression Which Are Independent of Food Intake and Demographic Factors.

Background Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) and salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) have been proposed as biomarkers for research on the mucosal immune system and on stress. Expression of both sAA and sIgA has been described to follow opposing diurnal patterns. This knowledge is crucial for the interpretation of studies using these biomarkers. Aim It was hypothesized that sAA and sIgA display diurnal patterns in children and that this is independent of food intake or demographic factors. Methods Whole saliva was collected from 78 healthy children (15-39 months old) in the morning and evening for two random nonconsecutive days. The samples have been analysed for sAA and sIgA. The total daily energy, fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrate and fibre, mineral, and vitamin consumption were analysed based on the two-day weighed food records collected by the parents. Results It was demonstrated that most young children followed the diurnal pattern when sAA increased and sIgA decreased from morning to evening. No correlation was observed between the intake of any of the nutrients and morning or evening values for both salivary proteins. The morning and evening values of sAA and sIgA did not correlate with age, sex, Asian ethnicity, and BMI of the children. Conclusion Diurnal patterns of sAA and sIgA exist in healthy young children and are not affected by their nutrient intake, sex, Asian ethnicity, and BMI. Scientists including sIgA and sAA in their research must consider the diurnal pattern that these markers exhibit and design the study accordingly.

Dendrobium huoshanense polysaccharide regionally regulates intestinal mucosal barrier function and intestinal microbiota in mice

The present study investigated the effects of a homogeneous Dendrobium huoshanense polysaccharide (GXG) on mucosal barrier function and microbiota composition in different intestinal regions of mice. Results exhibited, besides changing the intestinal physiological status, orally administrated GXG could improve the intestinal physical barrier function by modulating mucosal structures and up-regulating the expression of tight junction proteins, reinforce the intestinal biochemical barrier function by elevating the expression and secretion of mucin-2, β-defensins and sIgA, and regulate the intestinal immunological barrier function by stimulating the production of cytokines and the functional development of immune cells. Simultaneously, GXG could differentially impact the composition and metabolism of microbiota along intestinal tract. In addition, the immune response in spleen and peripheral blood were effectively regulated by GXG. These results indicated that GXG might be used as functional agent to improve host health.

The effects of dietary supplementation of pre-microencapsulated Enterococcus fecalis and the extract of Camellia oleifera seed on growth performance, intestinal morphology, and intestinal mucosal immune functions in broiler chickens

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of microencapsulated Enterococcus fecalis (MEF) and the extract of Camellia oleifera seed (ECOS) on growth performance, morphological parameters and gene expressions related to barrier functions of the intestinal mucosa in broiler chickens. 160-day-old Arbor Acres male broilers were randomly allotted to 4 treatments with 8 replicates of 5 chicks in a 2×2 factorial arrangement, evaluating two levels of MEF (0 and 10g/kg), and two levels of ECOS (0 and 300mg/kg). The results showed that there was no significant interaction effect of MEF and ECOS on growth performance, morphometric parameters of jejunum and ileum, and mRNA expression of MUC2, occludin and claudin-1 in jejunum and ileum mucosa. Compared with other groups, diet supplemented with MEF significantly improved FCR from days 21 to 42, and significantly improved ADG from days 0 to 42. Dietary MEF significantly increased villus height and villus height to crypt depth ratio in jejunum and ileum, the concentrations of sIgA, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α, and significantly up-regulated the gene expression of sIgA, MUC2, occludin and claudin-1 in jejunum and ileum mucosa. The interaction effect of MEF and ECOS was significant on the concentrations of sIgA, IL-2, IL-6, TNF-α in jejunum mucosa on day 42 and on the concentrations of sIgA, IL-2, TNF-α in ileum mucosa on day 42. These results indicated that MEF can improve growth performance and enhance intestinal barrier functions by improving its morphological development, increasing cytokine level, and up-regulating the gene expressions of sIgA, MUC2, occludin and claudin-1. But ECOS had slightly beneficial effects on growth performance and intestinal barrier functions.

Effect of adrenalectomy on IgA production in the large intestine of BALB/c mice

Nervous System in coordination with an other systems as endocrine and immune. Several studies have shown that conditions of stress modify the expression and concentration of SIgA, which has been attributed to factors as glucocorticoids and catecholamines produced in the adrenal gland. The objective of this study was determined the effect of adrenalectomy on secretion of IgA in the large intestine of BALB/c mice under acute stress by immobilization. We determined the concentration of serum corticosterone by RIA, the concentration of SIgA in intestinal fluid by ELISA and the percentage of T CD4+, T CD8+, B lymphocytes and plasma cells IgA+ in lamina propria by flow cytometry. The results showed that the serum corticosterone in the group SHAM+stress increased due to the effect of the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the concentration of SIgA. Regarding the cellular percentage, we founded an increased percentage of lymphocytes B and plasma cells positives to IgA; due to the effect of glucocorticoids and catecholamines over the cells of the immune system. The concentration of SIgA in intestinal fluid decreased compared to the SHAM group. Stress showed an important decreased on SIgA levels in comparison with SHAM+E group. We can conclude that the suppression of cortisol and catecholamines with acute exposure to stress directly affects the immune status in the large intestine. This work was supported by SIP-COFAA-IPN .