Curcumin and Selenium Synergistically Alleviate Oxidative Stress in IPEC-J2 Cells and ICR Mice

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology

Background:

• Oxidative stress is a key factor in porcine diarrhea.
• Curcumin (Cur) and selenium (Se) possess known antioxidant properties.
• Targeting intestinal oxidative stress presents a potential therapeutic avenue for pig diarrhea.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the synergistic effects of Curcumin and Selenium in alleviating intestinal oxidative stress.
• To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of Curcumin and Selenium in vitro and in vivo.
• To evaluate the therapeutic potential of Curcumin and Selenium for porcine intestinal disorders.

Main Methods:

• Established in vitro (IPEC-J2 cells) and in vivo (ICR mice) models of intestinal oxidative stress.
• Assessed synergistic antioxidant effects of Curcumin and Selenium in cell cultures.
• Administered Curcumin and Selenium pretreatment to mice with dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis.
• Analyzed serum antioxidant indices, colonic tissue mRNA expression (Nrf2, HO-1, NQO-1, NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α), and gut microbiota composition (16S rRNA sequencing).

Main Results:

• Curcumin and Selenium demonstrated synergistic antioxidant effects in vitro, surpassing individual treatments.
• Pretreatment with Curcumin and Selenium significantly attenuated DSS-induced colitis in mice.
• Serum antioxidant indices were improved, with upregulated Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO-1 mRNA, and downregulated NF-κB, IL-1β, and TNF-α mRNA in colonic tissues.
• Gut microbiota diversity and composition were restored by Curcumin and Selenium treatment.

Conclusions:

• Curcumin and Selenium act synergistically to alleviate oxidative stress and inflammation in intestinal models.
• The combined treatment modulates key antioxidant and inflammatory pathways (Nrf2/NF-κB).
• Curcumin and Selenium hold significant therapeutic potential for managing intestinal disorders in pigs.