Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases 34 (2011) 479–488 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Comparative Immunology, Microbiology and Infectious Diseases j o ur nal homep age : w ww.elsevier.com/locate/cimid Influence of dietary ingredients on in vitro inflammatory response of intestinal porcine epithelial cells challenged by an enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (K88) Rafael G. Hermes a,∗ , Edgar G. Manzanilla a , Susana M. Martín-Orúe a , José F. Pérez a , Kirk C. Klasing b a Grup de Nutrició, Maneig i Benestar, Department de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra 08193, Spain b Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 13 April 2011 Received in revised form 20 August 2011 Accepted 31 August 2011 Keywords: Anti-adhesive feedstuffs Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 Inflammatory response Intestinal epithelial cells a b s t r a c t Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) K88 is the main bacterial cause of diarrhea in piglets around weaning and the adhesion of ETEC to the intestinal mucosa is a prerequisite step for its colonization. In this study, the adhesion of a fimbriated ETEC and a non-fimbriated E. coli (NFEC) to the intestinal cells and the activation of the innate immune system were evalu- ated using a porcine intestinal epithelial cell line (IPEC-J2). The impact of several feedstuffs (wheat bran (WB); casein glycomacropeptide (CGMP); mannan-oligosaccharides (MOS); locust bean extract (LB) and Aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract (AO)) on ETEC attach- ment and the inflammatory response were also studied. The gene expression of TLR-4; TLR-5; IL-1; IL-8; IL-10 and TNF- were quantified using Cyclophilin-A, as a reference gene, and related to a non-challenged treatment. The fimbriated strain was markedly better than the non-fimbriated strain at adherence to intestinal cells and inducing an inflamma- tory response. All the feedstuffs studied were able to reduce the adhesion of ETEC, with the greatest decrease with CGMP or MOS at highest concentration. Regarding the inflamma- tory response, the highest dose of WB promoted the lowest relative expression of cytokines and chemokines. All tested feedstuffs were able to reduce the adhesion of ETEC to IPEC-J2 and interfere on the innate inflammatory response; however WB should be further studied according to the beneficial results on the intestinal inflammatory process evidenced in this study. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Enteric diseases in piglets are the leading cause of mor- tality and a major cause of economic losses in the pig industry. Some factors involved are: a transient loss of the integrity and inflammation of the intestinal mucosa caused by anorexia after weaning, an immature digestive system unable to fully digest the new diet, and a sudden ∗ Corresponding author. Tel.: +34 935811504; fax: +34 935811494. E-mail address: rafa hermes@yahoo.com.br (R.G. Hermes). overgrowth of pathogenic microorganisms with the capac- ity to adhere to the intestinal mucosa [1]. The main challenge in a young animal is to obtain a balanced microbial population to prevent the establish- ment of pathogenic microorganisms [2]. Animal producers have used a large array of antibiotics and drugs to obtain such stability and avoid intestinal diseases, but those antibiotics could leave residues in the meat of the animals, causing bacterial resistance to antibiotics and residual contamination of the food chain [3]. For this reason, the European Union banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters and has regulated their 0147-9571/$ – see front matter © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.cimid.2011.08.006