Relationship between serum concentration, functional parameters and cell bioenergetics in IPEC-J2 cell line

Area of Science:

• Cell Biology
• Biochemistry
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• IPEC-J2 cells, a porcine intestinal epithelial model, are crucial for studying gut inflammation and integrity.
• The pig gastrointestinal tract's similarity to humans makes IPEC-J2 a valuable translational research model.
• Foetal bovine serum (FBS) concentration is a key variable in cell culture, potentially affecting cell function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the link between FBS concentration and bioenergetic parameters in IPEC-J2 cells.
• To determine how different FBS levels influence cell growth, monolayer integrity, and energy metabolism.
• To assess the impact of FBS on ATP production, oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos), and glycolysis.

Main Methods:

• Culturing IPEC-J2 cells with varying FBS concentrations (5% and 10%).
• Measuring cell doubling time and transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) for monolayer integrity.
• Analyzing cellular ATP production, mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos), and glycolysis rates.

Main Results:

• Higher FBS concentrations (10%) accelerated cell doubling time and improved monolayer compactness.
• 10% FBS significantly increased ATP production and oxidative phosphorylation (OxPhos) without altering glycolysis.
• IPEC-J2 cells demonstrated metabolic flexibility, utilizing glucose, fatty acids, and glutamine, with OxPhos being the primary ATP source.

Conclusions:

• FBS concentration influences IPEC-J2 cell bioenergetics and functional parameters.
• Increased OxPhos driven by higher FBS levels supports enhanced cellular ATP production for physiological functions.
• IPEC-J2 cells maintain robust metabolic activity and substrate flexibility, crucial for their role as an in vitro gut model.