Zinc prevents intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction induced by alpha-hemolysin-producing Escherichia coli 536 infection in porcine colon.

Zinc treatment is beneficial for infectious diarrhea or colitis. This study aims to characterize the pathomechanisms of the epithelial barrier dysfunction caused by alpha-hemolysin (HlyA)-expressing Escherichia coli in the colon mucosa and the mitigating effects of zinc ions. We performed Ussing chamber experiments on porcine colon epithelium and infected the tissues with HlyA-producing E. coli. Colon mucosa from piglets was obtained from a feeding trial with defined normal or high dose zinc feeding (pre-conditioning). Additional to the zinc feeding, zinc was added to the luminal compartment of the Ussing chamber. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) was measured during the infection of the living tissue and subsequently the tissues were immuno-stained for confocal microscopy. Zinc applied to the luminal compartment was effective in preventing from E. coli-induced epithelial barrier dysfunction in Ussing chamber experiments. In contrast, zinc pre-conditioning of colon mucosae when zinc ions were missing subsequently in the luminal compartment was not sufficient to prevent epithelial barrier impairment during E. coli infection. The pathological changes caused by E. coli HlyA were alterations of tight junction proteins claudin-4 and claudin-5, focal leak formation, and cell exfoliation which reflected the paracellular barrier defect measured by a reduced TER. In microscopic analysis of luminal zinc-treated mucosae these changes were absent. In conclusion, continuous presence of unbound zinc ions in the luminal compartment is essential for the protective action of zinc against E. coli HlyA. This suggests the usage of zinc as therapeutic regimen, while prophylactic intervention by high dietary zinc loads may be less useful.

Zinc strengthens the jejunal barrier by reversibly tightening the paracellular route.

During the postweaning period, piglets are prone to gastrointestinal infections. The resulting impairment of intestinal barrier function may cause diarrhea associated with growth retardation or even death of piglets. Orally applied Zn is commonly used to prevent and treat diarrhea, but its mode of action still needs to be elucidated. To analyze the molecular mechanism whereby Zn acts on porcine intestinal barrier function, ex vivo studies on piglet jejunum and accompanying in vitro studies on a porcine jejunal epithelial cell line, IPEC-J2/PS, were performed with electrophysiological tools. Feeding pharmacological Zn doses exerted no significant electrophysiologically ascertainable short- and long-term effects on jejunal barrier function ex vivo. However, in IPEC-J2/PS, basolateral Zn was cytotoxic since its application caused a release of lactate dehydrogenase and an irreversible breakdown of the epithelial barrier. In contrast, apical Zn application caused an immediate increase in paracellular resistance and a decrease in permeability to the paracellular marker fluorescein, reflecting overall barrier strengthening in vitro. Apical effects were fully reversible upon washout. This indicates that Zn supplemented to feed was completely washed out during ex vivo jejunum preparation. We conclude that there is no evidence for long-term barrier effects through prophylactic Zn supplementation and that extracellular Zn acts acutely and reversibly from the apical side via tightening the paracellular route, thus counteracting leak-flux diarrhea.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Therapeutically administered Zn successfully treats diarrhea in veterinary and human medicine. Here we present data that Zn strengthens the porcine jejunal epithelial barrier by reversibly tightening the paracellular route for inorganic ions and small solutes. Acute or long-lasting Zn effects on transcellular transport (Cl- secretion) were not detected. We therefore conclude that Zn is useful for acutely treating leak-flux diarrhea rather than secretory diarrhea. Suitability as prophylactic feed supplement, however, is questionable.

Zinc treatment is efficient against Escherichia coli α-haemolysin-induced intestinal leakage in mice.

Zinc homoeostasis exerts protective effects in inflammatory intestinal diseases and zinc supplementation has been successfully used for treating infectious diarrhoea. This study aimed at a characterisation of zinc effects on focal leak induction by α-haemolysin (HlyA)-producing Escherichia coli (E. coli) as protective mechanism for colitis. We conducted in vivo experiments by oral challenge of gnotobiotic mice colonised with HlyA-expressing E. coli-536. Mice were either fed a defined normal or high zinc diet to analyse effects of zinc as a therapeutic regimen. HlyA-deficient E. coli-536 mutants were used as controls. Mice infected with HlyA-producing E. coli showed impaired barrier integrity when receiving normal zinc. High zinc supplementation in HlyA-producing E. coli-infected mice reduced epithelial dysfunction as indicated by ameliorated macromolecule permeability. Reduced size of focal leaks with diminished bacterial translocation was observed as inherent mechanisms of this zinc action. In human colon cell monolayers application of zinc rescued the HlyA-dependent decline in transepithelial electrical resistance via reduction of the calcium entry into HlyA-exposed cells. Calcium-dependent cell exfoliation was identified as mechanism for focal leak induction. In conclusion, zinc supplementation protects from HlyA-induced barrier dysfunction in vivo and in vitro, providing an explanation for the protective efficacy of zinc in intestinal disorders.

High-dose dietary zinc oxide mitigates infection with transmissible gastroenteritis virus in piglets.

BACKGROUND: Zinc (Zn) supplementation has been shown to reduce the incidence of diarrhea and to protect animals from intestinal diseases, but the mechanisms of this protective effect against virus infection in vivo have not yet been elucidated. Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) causes diarrhea in piglets with an age-dependent decrease of severity. RESULTS: We used 60 weaned piglets that were divided into three groups to evaluate the effect of different Zn levels added to a conventional diet (50 mg Zn/kg diet, Znlow, control group). The other groups received the diet supplemented with ZnO at final concentrations of 150 mg Zn/kg diet (Znmed), or 2,500 mg/kg diet (Znhigh). Oral challenge infection with TGEV was performed when the pigs had been fed for 1 week with the respective diet. Half of the piglets of each group were sacrificed at day 1 and 18 after challenge infection. Fecal consistency was improved and body weights increased in the Znhigh group when compared to the other groups, but no direct effect of Zn concentrations in the diet on fecal TGEV shedding and mucosal immune responses was detectable. However, in the Znhigh group, we found a prevention of villus atrophy and decreased caspase-3-mediated apoptosis of jejunal epithelium. Furthermore, pigs receiving high Zn diet showed a down-regulation of interferon (IFN)-α, oligoadenylate synthetase (OAS), Zn transporter SLC39A4 (ZIP4), but up-regulation of metallothionein-1 (MT1), as well as the Zn transporters SLC30A1 (ZnT1) and SLC30A5 (ZnT5). In addition, forskolin-induced chloride secretion and epithelial resistance were controlled at a physiological level in the Znhigh but not the other groups. Finally, in the Znhigh group, we documented an earlier and higher systemic TGEV-specific serum antibody response. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that high dietary Zn could provide enhanced protection in the intestinal tract and stimulate the systemic humoral immune response against TGEV infection.