title: Protective Effects of Ferulic Acid against Heat Stress-Induced Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction In Vitro and In Vivo.
abstract: Heat stress is important in the pathogenesis of intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction. Ferulic acid (FA), a phenolic acid widely found in fruits and vegetables, can scavenge free radicals and activate cell stress responses. This study is aimed at investigating protective effects of FA on heat stress-induced dysfunction of the intestinal epithelial barrier in vitro and in vivo. Intestinal epithelial (IEC-6) cells were pretreated with FA for 4 h and then exposed to heat stress. Heat stress caused decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and increased permeability to 4-kDa fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran (FD4). Both effects were inhibited by FA in a dose-dependent manner. FA significantly attenuated the decrease in occludin, ZO-1 and E-cadherin expression observed with heat stress. The distortion and redistribution of occludin, ZO-1 and E-cadherin proteins were also effectively prevented by FA pretreatment. Moreover, heat stress diminished electron-dense material detected in tight junctions (TJs), an effect also alleviated by FA in a dose-dependent manner. In an in vivo heat stress model, FA (50 mg/kg) was administered to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 7 consecutive days prior to exposure to heat stress. FA pretreatment significantly attenuated the effects of heat stress on the small intestine, including the increased FD4 permeability, disrupted tight junctions and microvilli structure, and reduced occludin, ZO-1 and E-cadherin expression. Taken together, our results demonstrate that FA pretreatment is potentially protective against heat stress-induced intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction.
authors.affiliation: CAU-BUA TCVM Teaching and Researching Team, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Shasha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture (BUA), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Fenghua
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture (BUA), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: CAU-BUA TCVM Teaching and Researching Team, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Peng
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture (BUA), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Deyin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture (BUA), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mei
authors.affiliation: Beijing Key Laboratory of Dairy Cow Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Beijing University of Agriculture (BUA), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Linshu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: CAU-BUA TCVM Teaching and Researching Team, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Yunfei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: CAU-BUA TCVM Teaching and Researching Team, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University (CAU), Beijing, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jianqin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003373:Coumaric Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017097:Electric Impedance; D015870:Gene Expression; D018869:Heat-Shock Response / Q000187:drug effects*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D062793:Occludin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects; D020011:Protective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D019108:Tight Junctions / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D003373:Coumaric Acids; D062793:Occludin; D020011:Protective Agents; D062826:Zonula Occludens-1 Protein; C004999:ferulic acid