Brief Article
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World J Gastroenterol. Aug 21, 2013; 19(31): 5094-5102
Published online Aug 21, 2013. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i31.5094
Acute effects of rotavirus and malnutrition on intestinal barrier function in neonatal piglets
Sheila K Jacobi, Adam J Moeser, Anthony T Blikslager, J Marc Rhoads, Benjamin A Corl, Robert J Harrell, Jack Odle
Sheila K Jacobi, Robert J Harrell, Jack Odle, Laboratory of Developmental Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States
Adam J Moeser, Anthony T Blikslager, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States
J Marc Rhoads, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, United States
Benjamin A Corl, Department of Dairy Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, United States
Author contributions: Jacobi SK, Moeser AJ and Corl BA performed the research and analyzed the data; Blikslager AT, Rhoads JM, Harrell RJ and Odle J designed the research; Jacobi SK, Moeser AJ, Blikslager AT, Rhoads JM and Odle J wrote the paper.
Supported by Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service, USDA-National Research Initiative, No. 2005-35200-16174; the North Carolina Agriculture Research Service
Correspondence to: Jack Odle, PhD, Professor, Laboratory of Developmental Nutrition, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, North Carolina State University, 2200 Hillsborough, Box 7621, Raleigh, NC 27695, United States. jack_odle@ncsu.edu
Telephone: +1-919-5154050 Fax: +1-919-5156884
Received: February 18, 2013
Revised: April 24, 2013
Accepted: June 5, 2013
Published online: August 21, 2013
Abstract

AIM: To investigate the effect of protein-energy malnutrition on intestinal barrier function during rotavirus enteritis in a piglet model.

METHODS: Newborn piglets were allotted at day 4 of age to the following treatments: (1) full-strength formula (FSF)/noninfected; (2) FSF/rotavirus infected; (3) half-strength formula (HSF)/noninfected; or (4) HSF/rotavirus infected. After one day of adjustment to the feeding rates, pigs were infected with rotavirus and acute effects on growth and diarrhea were monitored for 3 d and jejunal samples were collected for Ussing-chamber analyses.

RESULTS: Piglets that were malnourished or infected had lower body weights on days 2 and 3 post-infection (P < 0.05). Three days post-infection, marked diarrhea and weight loss were accompanied by sharp reductions in villus height (59%) and lactase activity (91%) and increased crypt depth (21%) in infected compared with non-infected pigs (P < 0.05). Malnutrition also increased crypt depth (21%) compared to full-fed piglets. Villus:crypt ratio was reduced (67%) with viral infection. There was a trend for reduction in transepithelial electrical resistance with rotavirus infection and malnutrition (P = 0.1). 3H-mannitol flux was significantly increased (50%; P < 0.001) in rotavirus-infected piglets compared to non-infected piglets, but there was no effect of nutritional status. Furthermore, rotavirus infection reduced localization of the tight junction protein, occludin, in the cell membrane and increased localization in the cytosol.

CONCLUSION: Overall, malnutrition had no additive effects to rotavirus infection on intestinal barrier function at day 3 post-infection in a neonatal piglet model.

Keywords: Rotavirus gastroenteritis, Kwashiorkor, Occludin, Ussing chamber, Villus

Core tip: We are quite excited about these results which suggest involvement of intestinal tight-junction proteins in the pathology of rotaviral gastroenteritis. The work further examines the interplay of malnutrition superimposed on viral infection. 3H-mannitol flux was significantly increased in rotavirus infected piglets compared to non-infected piglets, but there was no effect of nutritional status. Furthermore, rotavirus infection reduced localization of the tight junction protein, occludin, in the cell membrane and increased localization in the cytosol. This extends work on the molecular mechanisms of rotavirus in the neonatal intestine that we previously published.