Deoxynivalenol and E.coli lipopolysaccharide alter epithelial proliferation and spatial distribution of apical junction proteins along the small intestinal axis

We investigated a proposed synergistic effect of deoxynivalenol (DON) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS) on small intestinal architecture and epithelial barrier integrity in pigs. Crypt depth and intestinal cell proliferation were analyzed, as well as expression of zonula occludens protein-1 (ZO-1) and ß-catenin of the apical junction complex along the small intestine. Barrows (26.2 ± 4.1 kg) were fed restrictedly either a control diet (CON) or a diet naturally contaminated with 3.1 mg DON/kg feed (DON) for 37 d. At d 37, the control group was infused for 1 h either with 100 µg/kg BW of DON (CON-DON, n = 6), 7.5 µg/kg BW of LPS (CON-LPS, n = 6), a combination of both (CON-DON+LPS, n = 7), or 0.9% NaCl (CON-CON, n = 6) and the DON group with 7.5 µg/kg BW of LPS (DON-LPS, n = 8) or 0.9% NaCl (DON-CON, n = 6). Pigs were euthanized 3.25 h after start of infusion. Immunohistochemistry (5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine for proliferation) and immunofluorescence (ZO-1 and ß-catenin) from duodenum, proximal jejunum, mid-jejunum, proximal ileum, and terminal ileum were analyzed for crypt depth, cell proliferation, and apical junction proteins. Duodenal crypts were deeper compared with the other 4 intestinal regions, and proximal jejunal crypts were deeper than those of mid-jejunum and proximal ileum (P < 0.001). Epithelial proliferation showed a bell-shaped distribution along the small intestinal axis. Duodenal proliferating cells had the least number compared with jejunal sections and proximal ileum (P < 0.001). Neither DON nor LPS affected these variables. Zonula occludens-1 displayed a distinct spatial distribution in the epithelium with an apical and a cytosolic component. Apical expression of ZO-1 was severely damaged in the mid-jejunum (P < 0.001) of CON - DON compared with animals treated with LPS. Also, in all animals receiving LPS systemically, the cytosolic ZO-1 fraction in the 3 upper gut sections disappeared completely. This effect was independent of DON presence. Control pigs had a greater basolateral ß-catenin accumulation (P < 0.05) in the cells, whereas the protein distribution did not differ in CON - DON pigs. In conclusion, results of this experiment demonstrated that epithelial proliferation has a distinct pattern along the small intestine and is not necessarily positively linked to crypt depth in pigs. Furthermore, results indicate that LPS changed the spatial distribution of ZO-1. A synergistic effect of DON and LPS on intestinal architecture could not be verified in the present study.