Impact of microbiota on expression of mRNA of NF-kappa B family molecules in the intestine of germ-free and conventional piglets (#172)
Aims: The gastrointestinal tract of a newborn is colonized by vaginal and fecal microbiota of the mother immediately during delivery. Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) family molecules play a central role in inflammatory response. How a presence/absence of the microbiota stimulation of the immune system influence the expression of NF-kB related molecules in the intestine?
Methods: Conventional naturally-born 1 and 7 days-old suckled piglets (CV) were bred in a pigpen. Their germ-free colostrum-deprived formula-fed counterparts (GF) were derived by hysterectomy and were reared in gnotobiological isolators. mRNA of NF-kB family molecules (RelA, cRel, RelB, NF-kB1 and NF-kB2) were measured by RT-qPCR in the terminal ileum to study the influence of the microbiota on stimulation of inflammatory response. IL-8, TNF-alpha and HMGB1 in age-corresponding counterpart piglets served as control inflammation-induced genes.
Results: mRNA for IL-8 in the ileum were significantly higher in CV piglets then in their GF counterparts.The situation in TNF-alpha was similar but less significant. NF-kB1, NF-kB2, and RelB in the ileum showed the same trend. In contrast, RelA showed opposite ratio and cRel different relations in each age group.
Conclusions: Nuclear factor-kappa B is a central regulator of the transcriptional responses that is regulated by complex signal transduction pathways after stimuli of different origin. The hysterectomy-derived colostrum-deprived gnotobiotic piglets may be suitable experimental models for in vivo study of these signal transduction pathways.
Acknowledgements: This work was supported by grants 13-08803S of the Czech Science Foundation, FR-TI4/504 of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Rep. and the Institutional Research Concept RVO: 61388971 of the Institute of Microbiology.