Expression And Significance Of ClAUDIN-1 In The Gastrointestinal Tract Of Diarrhea Piglets Infected With The E.Coli

Diarrhea of weaning piglets is a stress syndrome caused by multiple factors, gastrointestinal mucosal barrier plays an important role in resisting the infection of pathogenic microorganisms and maintaining normal physiological function of digestive tract. Tight Junction(TJ) is an important component of gastrointestinal mucosal barrier, the Claudins family are the essential part of the formation of TJ.Objectivet:This study is designed to discuss the expression and significance of Claudin-1 in the gastrointestinal tract of diarrhea piglets infected with the E. coli. Methods:The diarrhea model of weaning piglets was made, histological changes of gastrointestinal tract were examined by HE staining, expression of Claudin-1 protein in the different periods of diarrhea was measured by IHC and Real-time PCR. Resμlts:Most of the pathologieal changes showed desquamation,denaturation and serous effusion in the epithelium mucosae, intestinal villi became distorted,broken,atrophy, thickened interstitial cells, goblet cells became hyperplasia. infiltrated inflammatory cells were found in lamina. Compared with the normal group, expression of Claudin-1 protein was significantly lower in the lleum of diarrhea group of the first day (P<0.05) and the third day (P<0.01), results of the diarrhea group of the third day (P<0.01) showed that expression of Claudin-1 protein was significantly lower in colon, little change in the stomach, mRNA expression of Claudin-1 in lleum was significantly decreased, diarrhea group of the third day was the most obvious, mRNA expression of Claudin-1 in colon was significantly lower, almost no change in the stomach. Conclusions:The pathologieal changes showed inflammation of weaning piglets became heavier over time. Expression of Claudin-1 was diminished in intestinal mucosa of diarrhea group, which was associated with the regulation of inflammatory cytokines and other unknown regulatory approach. The reduction of Claudin-1 expression may be useful as important indicators for the dysfunction of intestinal mucosal barrier.