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The Acetic Acid Produced by Lactobacillus Species Regulates Immune Function to Alleviate PEDV Infection in Piglets
Ming-Jie Sun1, Jun Hong Xing1, Qing-Song Yan1
1College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin Provincial Engineering Research Center of Animal Probiotics, Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Microecology and Healthy Breeding, Engineering Research Center of Microecological Vaccines (Drugs) for Major Animal Diseases, Ministry of Education, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, 130118, China.
Acetic acid, a metabolite from probiotics like Lactobacillus, protects piglets from Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) by enhancing intestinal barrier function and immune responses. This SCFA (short-chain fatty acid) boosts innate and adaptive immunity, offering a promising strategy against PEDV.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Medicine
- Microbiology
- Immunology
Background:
- Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes significant piglet mortality and economic losses.
- Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are crucial metabolites from gut probiotics that modulate intestinal health and immunity.
- Lactobacillus strains and their metabolites show potential in protecting against enteric infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effects of specific probiotic bacteria and their metabolite, acetic acid, against PEDV infection in piglets.
- To elucidate the mechanisms by which these interventions enhance intestinal barrier function and modulate immune responses.
- To identify key molecular pathways involved in the protective effects of acetic acid.
Main Methods:
- Administration of Lactobacillus strains and acetate to PEDV-infected piglets.
- Histological and immunofluorescence analyses to assess intestinal damage.
- Targeted metabolomics to quantify SCFA levels.
- Flow cytometry to evaluate immune cell populations (NK cells, macrophages, T cells).
- Transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) and bioinformatics to identify affected pathways.
- Western blot and qPCR to validate gene and protein expression.
- In vitro studies using porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2) to assess barrier function and signaling pathways (PI3K/AKT).
Main Results:
- Lactococcus lactis administration reduced intestinal damage and PEDV antigen levels in piglets.
- Acetate administration conferred resistance to PEDV, enhancing innate immunity (NK cells, macrophages) and adaptive immunity (T cell subsets).
- Transcriptome analysis revealed significant alterations in pathways like PI3K-AKT signaling, ECM-receptor interaction, and pancreatic secretion.
- Acetic acid increased ZO-1 expression in IPEC-J2 cells, indicating improved barrier function, via the PI3K/AKT pathway.
- GPR41 and GPR43 were identified as SCFA receptors involved in modulating intestinal barrier integrity.
Conclusions:
- Acetic acid, produced by Lactobacillus strains, plays a key role in alleviating PEDV infection in piglets.
- Acetic acid enhances intestinal barrier function and modulates both innate and adaptive immune responses through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
- These findings offer a potential therapeutic strategy using SCFAs or probiotics to combat PEDV and reduce economic losses in the swine industry.
