Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Counteract Inflammatory and Oxidative Damage of Non-Transformed Porcine Enterocytes

• Main Authors: Tamil Selvi Sundaram, Carlotta Giromini, Raffaella Rebucci, Antonella Baldi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-05-01
• Series: Animals
• Subjects: omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; eicosapentaenoic acid; docosahexaenoic acid; porcine IPEC-J2 cells
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/6/956

Marine and plant-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) are widely added to animal diets to promote growth and immunity. We tested the hypothesis that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and their 1:2 combination could counteract acute or long-term damage of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) in Intestinal Porcine Epithelial Cell line-J2 (IPEC-J2). The results showed that 24 h treatment with EPA or DHA exhibited proliferative effects in IPEC-J2 cells at low to moderate concentrations (6.25–50 μM) (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Further, 24 h pretreatment with individual DHA (3.3 µM), EPA (6.7 µM) or as DHA:EPA (1:2; 10 µM) combination increased the mitochondrial activity or cell membrane integrity post-LPS (24 h), DSS (24 h) and H₂O₂ (1 h) challenge (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Additionally, DHA:EPA (1:2, 10 µM) combination decreased the apoptotic caspase-3/7 activity around twofold after 24 h LPS and DSS challenge (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Our study confirms the proliferative and cytoprotective properties of EPA and DHA in IPEC-J2 cells. Increased intracellular mitochondrial activity and cell membrane integrity by ω-3 PUFAs can play a role in preventing enterocyte apoptosis during acute or chronic inflammatory and oxidative stress.