Cell migration and proliferation capacity of IPEC-J2 cells after short-chain fatty acid exposure

Novel antimicrobial strategies are necessary to tackle using antibiotics during the suckling and weaning period of piglets, often characterized by E. coli-induced diarrhea. In the last decades, acetate, propionate, and butyrate, all short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), have been proposed as an alternative to antibiotics. SCFAs are instrumental in promoting the proliferation of enterocytes, preserving intestinal integrity, and modulating the microbial community by suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria in pigs. The effect of individual SCFAs (proprionate, acetate and butyrate) on the regenerative capacity of intestinal cells was investigated via an optimized wound-healing assay in IPEC-J2 cells, a porcine jejunal epithelial cell line. IPEC-J2 cells proved a good model as they express the free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2), an important SCFA receptor with a high affinity for proprionate. Our study demonstrated that propionate (p = 0.005) and acetate (p = 0.037) were more effective in closing the wound than butyrate (p = 0.190). This holds promise in using SCFA's per os as an alternative to antibiotics.