• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제64권4호
• /
• pp.640-653
• /
• 2022

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is the most common mycotoxin contaminant of cereal-based food and animal feed. The toxicity of DON is very low compared to that of other toxins; however, the most prominent signs of DON exposure include inappetence and body weight loss, which causes considerable economic losses in the livestock industry. This review summarizes critical studies on biological DON mycotoxin mitigation strategies and the respective in vitro and in vivo intestinal effects. Focus areas include growth performance, gut health in terms of intestinal histomorphology, epithelial barrier functions, the intestinal immune system and microflora, and short-chain fatty acid production in the intestines. In addition, DON detoxification and modulation of these parameters, through biological supplements, are discussed. Biological detoxification of DON using microorganisms can attenuate DON toxicity by modulating gut microbiota and improving gut health with or without influencing the growth performance of pigs. However, the use of microorganisms as feed additives to livestock for mycotoxins detoxification needs more research before commercial use.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제47권5호
• /
• pp.627-637
• /
• 2023

Background: Damage to the healthy intestinal epithelial layer and regulation of the intestinal immune system, closely interrelated, are considered pivotal parts of the curative treatment for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Plant-based diets and phytochemicals can support the immune microenvironment in the intestinal epithelial barrier for a balanced immune system by improving the intestinal microecological balance and may have therapeutic potential in colitis. However, there have been only a few reports on the therapeutic potential of plant-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (PENs) and the underlying mechanism in colitis. This study aimed to assess the therapeutic effect of PENs from Panax ginseng, ginseng-derived exosome-like nanoparticles (GENs), in a mouse model of IBD, with a focus on the intestinal immune microenvironment. Method: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect of GENs on acute colitis, we treated GENs in Caco2 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) -induced RAW 264.7 macrophages and analyzed the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-10 by real-time PCR (RT-PCR). Furthermore, we further examined bacterial DNA from feces and determined the alteration of gut microbiota composition in DSS-induced colitis mice after administration of GENs through 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. Result: GENs with low toxicity showed a long-lasting intestinal retention effect for 48 h, which could lead to effective suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-6 production through inhibition of NF-κB in DSS-induced colitis. As a result, it showed longer colon length and suppressed thickening of the colon wall in the mice treated with GENs. Due to the amelioration of the progression of DSS-induced colitis with GENs treatment, the prolonged survival rate was observed for 17 days compared to 9 days in the PBS-treated group. In the gut microbiota analysis, the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidota was decreased, which means GENs have therapeutic effectiveness against IBD. Ingesting GENs would be expected to slow colitis progression, strengthen the gut microbiota, and maintain gut homeostasis by preventing bacterial dysbiosis. Conclusion: GENs have a therapeutic effect on colitis through modulation of the intestinal microbiota and immune microenvironment. GENs not only ameliorate the inflammation in the damaged intestine by downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokines but also help balance the microbiota on the intestinal barrier and thereby improve the digestive system.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제29권8호
• /
• pp.1075-1082
• /
• 2016

Modern livestock production became highly intensive and large scaled to increase production efficiency. This production environment could add stressors affecting the health and growth of animals. Major stressors can include environment (air quality and temperature), nutrition, and infection. These stressors can reduce growth performance and alter immune systems at systemic and local levels including the gastrointestinal tract. Heat stress increases the permeability, oxidative stress, and inflammatory responses in the gut. Nutritional stress from fasting, antinutritional compounds, and toxins induces the leakage and destruction of the tight junction proteins in the gut. Fasting is shown to suppress pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas deoxynivalenol increases the recruitment of intestinal pro-inflammatory cytokines and the level of lymphocytes in the gut. Pathogenic and viral infections such as Enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC) and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus can lead to loosening the intestinal epithelial barrier. On the other hand, supplementation of Lactobacillus or Saccharaomyces reduced infectious stress by ETEC. It was noted that major stressors altered the permeability of intestinal barriers and profiles of genes and proteins of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines in mucosal system in pigs. However, it is not sufficient to fully explain the mechanism of the gut immune system in pigs under stress conditions. Correlation and interaction of gut and systemic immune system under major stressors should be better defined to overcome aforementioned obstacles.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.67-72
• /
• 2014

The herpes virus entry mediator (HVEM) is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF), and therefore it is also known as TNFRSF14 or CD270 (1,2). In recent years, we have focused on understanding HVEM function in the mucosa of the intestine, particularly on the role of HVEM in colitis pathogenesis, host defense and regulation of the microbiota (2-4). HVEM is an unusual TNF receptor because of its high expression levels in the gut epithelium, its capacity to bind ligands that are not members of the TNF super family, including immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily members BTLA and CD160, and its bi-directional functionality, acting as a signaling receptor or as a ligand for the receptor BTLA. Clinically, Hvem recently was reported as an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) risk gene as a result of genome wide association studies (5,6). This suggests HVEM could have a regulatory role influencing the regulation of epithelial barrier, host defense and the microbiota. Consistent with this, using mouse models, we have revealed how HVEM is involved in colitis pathogenesis, mucosal host defense and epithelial immunity (3,7). Although further studies are needed, our results provide the fundamental basis for understanding why Hvem is an IBD risk gene, and they confirm that HVEM is a mucosal gatekeeper with multiple regulatory functions in the mucosa.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제29권10호
• /
• pp.1675-1681
• /
• 2019

Clostridium difficile toxin A is known to cause colonic epithelial cell apoptosis, which is considered the main causative event that triggers inflammatory responses in the colon, reflecting the concept that the essential role of epithelial cells in the colon is to form a physical barrier in the gut. We previously showed that toxin A-induced colonocyte apoptosis and subsequent inflammation were dependent on prostaglandin E2 ($PGE_2$) produced in response to toxin A stimulation. However, the molecular mechanism by which $PGE_2$ mediates cell apoptosis in toxin A-exposed colonocytes has remained unclear. Here, we sought to identify the signaling pathway involved in toxin A-induced, $PGE_2$-mediated colonocyte apoptosis. In non-transformed NCM460 human colonocytes, toxin A exposure strongly upregulated expression of Bak, which is known to form mitochondrial outer membrane pores, resulting in apoptosis. RT-PCR analyses revealed that this increase in Bak expression was attributable to toxin A-induced transcriptional upregulation. We also found that toxin A upregulation of Bak expression was dependent on $PGE_2$ production, and further showed that this effect was recapitulated by an Prostaglandin E2(PGE2) receptor-1 receptor agonist, but not by agonists of other EP receptors. Collectively, these results suggest that toxin A-induced cell apoptosis involves $PGE_2$-upregulation of Bak through the EP1 receptor.

• 한국축산식품학회지
• /
• 제37권6호
• /
• pp.931-939
• /
• 2017

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a complex multifaceted disease that involves oxidative stress and inflammation as the key mediators. Despite decades of intensive research, there are no FDA-approved therapies, and/or no effective cure is yet available. Probiotics have received increasing attention in the past few years due to their well-documented gastrointestinal health-promoting effects. Interestingly, emerging studies have suggested that certain probiotics may offer benefits beyond the gut. Lactobacillus fermentum LA12 has been previously demonstrated to play a role in inflammatory-related disease. However, the possible protective effect of L. fermentum LA12 on ALD still remain to be explored. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the possible protective effect of L. fermentum LA12 on alcohol-induced gut barrier dysfunction and liver damage in a rat model of alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). Daily oral administration of L. fermentum LA12 in rat model of ASH for four weeks was shown to significantly reduced intestinal nitric oxide production and hyperpermeability. Moreover, small intestinal histological- and qRT-PCR analysis further revealed that L. fermentum LA12 treatment was capable of up-regulating the mRNA expression levels of tight junction proteins, thereby stimulating the restitution of barrier structure and function. Serum and hepatic analyses also revealed that the restoration of epithelial barrier function may prevent the leakage of endotoxin into the blood, subsequently improve liver function and hepatic steatosis in the L. fermentum LA12-treated rats. Altogether, results in this study suggest that L. fermentum LA12 may be used as a dietary adjunct for the prevention and treatment of ASH.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제18권7호
• /
• pp.1278-1285
• /
• 2008

The intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) layer of the intestinal tract makes direct contact with a number of microbiota communities, including bacteria known to have deleterious health effects. IECs possess innate protective strategies against pathogenic challenge, which primarily involve the formation of a physicochemical barrier. Intestinal tract mucins are principal components of the mucus layer on epithelial surfaces, and perform a protective function against microbial damage. However, little is currently known regarding the interactions between probiotics/pathogens and epithelial cell mucins. The principal objective of this study was to determine the effects of Lactobacillus on the upregulation of MUC2 mucin and the subsequent inhibition of E. coli O157:H7 attachment to epithelial cells. In the current study, the attachment of E. coli O157:H7 to HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells was inhibited significantly by L. acidophilus A4 and its cell extracts. It is also important to note that the expression of MUC2 mucin was increased as the result of the addition of L. acidophilus A4 cell extracts (10.0 mg/ml), which also induced a significant reduction in the degree to which E. coli O157:H7 attached to epithelial cells. In addition, the mRNA levels of IL-8, IL-1$\beta$, and TNF-$\alpha$ in HT-29 cells were significantly induced by treatment with L. acidophilus A4 extracts. These results indicate that MUC2 mucin and cytokines are important regulatory factors in the immune systems of the gut, and that selected lactobacilli may be able to induce the upregulation of MUC2 mucin and specific cytokines, thereby inhibiting the attachment of E. coli O157:H7.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제27권6호
• /
• pp.1163-1170
• /
• 2017

Clostridium difficile releases two exotoxins, toxin A and toxin B, which disrupt the epithelial cell barrier in the gut to increase mucosal permeability and trigger inflammation with severe diarrhea. Many studies have suggested that enteric nerves are also directly involved in the progression of this toxin-mediated inflammation and diarrhea. C. difficile toxin A is known to enhance neurotransmitter secretion, increase gut motility, and suppress sympathetic neurotransmission in the guinea pig colitis model. Although previous studies have examined the pathophysiological role of enteric nerves in gut inflammation, the direct effect of toxins on neuronal cells and the molecular mechanisms underlying toxin-induced neuronal stress remained to be unveiled. Here, we examined the toxicity of C. difficile toxin A against neuronal cells (SH-SY5Y). We found that toxin A treatment time- and dose-dependently decreased cell viability and triggered apoptosis accompanied by caspase-3 activation in this cell line. These effects were found to depend on the up-regulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the subsequent activation of p38 MAPK and induction of $p21^{Cip1/Waf1}$. Moreover, the N-acetyl-$\text\tiny L$-cysteine (NAC)-induced down-regulation of ROS could recover the viability loss and apoptosis of toxin A-treated neuronal cells. These results collectively suggest that C. difficile toxin A is toxic for neuronal cells, and that this is associated with rapid ROS generation and subsequent p38 MAPK activation and $p21^{Cip1/Waf1}$ up-regulation. Moreover, our data suggest that NAC could inhibit the toxicity of C. difficile toxin A toward enteric neurons.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제28권8호
• /
• pp.885-891
• /
• 2018

급성위막성대장염(Pseudomembranous colitis)은 C. difficile 세균이 분비하는 톡신A에 의해 유발되는 것으로 알려져 있다. 톡신A에 의한 점막 상피세포의 장벽기능 감소가 발병 원인으로 알려져 있다. 최근 연구에 의하면 톡신 A는 대장상피세포 속 HDAC-6의 활성을 높여 튜블린의 탈아세틸화를 증가시키는 것으로 알려져 있다. 튜블린 단백질의 탈아세틸화는 미세소관 불 형성을 초래하여 점막 상피세포의 극단적인 세포 형태 변형을 야기하게 되며 결국 상피세포의 고유기능인 장벽 기능이 파괴된다고 알려져 있다. 최근 연구자 등은 potassium acetate가 톡신A에 의한 튜블린 탈아세틸화와 미세소관 불 형성을 회복시켜 장염을 유의하게 억제함을 보고하였다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 아세틸기를 포함하는 또 다른 간단한 화학구조의 초산을 적용하여 톡신A의 세포독성을 억제하는지 확인해보고자 하였다. 인간 대장상피세포에서 초산 자극은 튜블린 단백질의 아세틸화를 유의하게 증가시켰다. 또한 초산은 대장상피세포 속 미세소관 형성과정도 강하게 촉진시킴을 확인하였다. 초산은 톡신A에 의한 튜블린 탈아세틸화와 미세소관 불 형성 그리고 세포독성 모두를 유의하게 회복시켰다. 이상의 결과는 초산에 의한 미세소관 형성 촉진이 톡신A에 의해 초래되는 세포골격계 파괴와 그로 인한 세포독성을 억제할 수 있음을 보여준다. 따라서 초산이 톡신A의 작용을 차단하여 위막성대장염 증상을 완화시킬 수 있는 치료제로서 개발 가치가 있음을 보여준다.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• 제64권4호
• /
• pp.383-389
• /
• 2021

비만은 숙주의 전신 염증 및 대사 기능 장애에 기여하는 장 상피 장벽 기능 저하와 관련이 있다. 한국의 전통 식품으로 식이섬유가 풍부한 콩 제품은 항염증 반응을 비롯한 다양한 생물학적 활성을 나타내어 왔으나 대장 건강에 대해서는 보고된 바가 없다. 본 연구에서는 고지방 식이(HFD)를 섭취한 비만 모델에서 콩(CSB)에 대한 장 건강 증진 효과를 조사하였다. SD 쥐에게 동물 실험 기간 동안 HFD 또는 10.6% CSB가 함유된 HFD (HFD + CSB)를 제공하였다. CSB의 섭취는 HFD로 유발된 체중과 지방 축적 증가를 현저하게 감소시켰다. 또한, CSB의 섭취는 대장 조직에서 HFD에 의해 감소된 밀착 결합 지표(ZO-1, Claudin-1 및 Occludin-1)의 mRNA 발현을 개선시켰다. 또한, 조직병리학적 평가에서도 CSB 섭취는 대장 조직에서 HFD에 의해 증가된 염증 세포 침윤과 대장 상피 조직 붕괴를 개선하는 것으로 나타났다. Genus 수준에서 HFD 섭취에 의해 Lactobacillus, Duncaniella, Alloprevotella 등 미생물 종의 abundance 차이는 확인되었으나, CSB 섭취로 인한 영향은 명확하게 나타나지 않았다. NMDS 분석에서 HFD 섭취에 의해 유의적인 장내미생물 생태 이동을 보여주었지만 CSB 섭취는 차이가 없었다. HFD와 CSB 간 유의적으로 차이가 나타나는 genera를 조사하기 위해 LEfSe를 수행한 결과, CSB는 Anaerotignum, Enterococcus, Clostridium sensu stricto 및 Escherichia/Shigella 속의 풍부함을 증가시킨 반면 Longicatena 및 Ligilactobacillus의 풍부함을 감소시켰다. 이러한 결과는 CSB 섭취는 긴밀한 접합 성분을 개선하여 HFD로 악화된 대장 건강을 개선하는 반면 장내미생물생태에 긍정적인 효과를 미치는지에 대해서는 명확하지 않았다.