China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2019, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (11): 3190-3197.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2019.11.007

• Physiology and Biochemistry • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Effects of Baicalin on Tight Junction Structure and MLCK-MLC in Piglets Induced by Lipopolysaccharide

ZHAO Wenhua, ZHUANG Feng, XIONG Chunhong, LIU Yu, FU Shulin, QIU Yinsheng   

  1. College of Animal Science and Nutritional Engineering, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China
  • Received:2019-04-22 Online:2019-11-20 Published:2019-11-25

Abstract: In this study,lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced immune injury model of piglets was established to study the effect of baicalin on the expression levels of LPS-induced vascular tight coupling protein in piglets and the changes of MLCK-MLC signaling pathway,and to explore its protective mechanism.Forty-two healthy piglets were selected and divided into six groups:Control group (group A),LPS model group (group B),LPS+ethyl pyruvate treatment group (group C),LPS+flunixin meglumine treatment group (group D),LPS+baicalin treatment group (25,50,100 mg/kg,groups E,F,G).After feeding for 7 d,drug treatment was conducted 0.5 h before challenge.Mice in treatment group and model group got LPS intraperitoneally injected,and the same amount of normal saline was injected into mice in the control group.LPS was induced for 6 h and then administered again.After 1 d of the experiment,two aorta blood vessel samples were collected.The structural changes of tight junction proteins (ZO-1,Claudin-1 and Occludin) in the blood vessels were observed by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence.Western blotting was used to determine the expression of MLCK-MLC signaling pathway related proteins (MLCK,MLC2 and p-MLC2).The results showed that after LPS induced,the expression levels of ZO-1,Claudin-1 and Occludin were extremely significantly decreased (P<0.01),and structure of tight vascular connections was damaged,while baicalin treatment could significantly increase their expression.In the LPS model group,the expression levels of MLCK and p-MLC2 were extremely significantly increased (P<0.01),and baicalin could significantly down-regulate expression levels of MLCK and p-MLC2(P<0.01).The expression of MLCK in all groups showed no significant difference (P>0.05).In conclusion,LPS induction could cause vascular injury in piglets,inhibit MLCK-MLC signaling pathway,and damage the structure and function of tight junctions.Baicalin had the protective effect on the damage of vascular tight junction structure in piglets induced by LPS.The results could provide a scientific basis for baicalin in the treatment of inflammatory vascular injury in pigs.

Key words: baicalin; LPS; tight junction; MLCK; MLC

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