Short communication: Glucagon-like peptide-2 and coccidiosis alter tight junction gene expression in the gastrointestinal tract of dairy calves1

Abstract Tight junction (TJ) proteins are integral factors involved in gut barrier function, and therapy with glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) enhances gut integrity. Our aim was to assess effects of GLP-2 treatment on mRNA expression of 8 TJ complex proteins in the intestine of dairy calves not infected or infected with Eimeria bovis at 11±3d of age. Mucosal epithelium from jejunum, ileum, and cecum was collected at slaughter from Holstein bull calves assigned to 4 groups: noninfected, buffer-treated (n=5); noninfected, GLP-2 treated (n=4); E. bovis -infected, buffer-treated (n=5); and E. bovis -infected, GLP-2-treated (n=4). Infected calves were orally dosed with 100,000 to 200,000 sporulated E. bovis oocysts on d 0; GLP-2-treated calves received 50 µg of GLP-2/kg of body weight subcutaneously twice daily for 10d beginning on d 18; and buffer-treated calves received an equal injection volume of 0.01 M Na bicarbonate buffer. All calves were killed on d 28. The mRNA expression of coxsackie and adenovirus receptor ( CXADR ), claudins 1, 2, and 4 ( CLDN1 , CLDN2 , and CLDN4 ), F11 receptor ( F11R ), junction adhesion molecule 2 ( JAM2 ), occludin ( OCLN ), and tight junction protein ZO-1 ( TJP1 ) was determined by real-time quantitative PCR. In jejunum and ileum, an interaction of E. bovis infection and GLP-2 treatment on gene expression was noted. In jejunum of noninfected calves, GLP-2 increased CXADR , CLDN2 , OCLN , and TJP1 mRNA expression but had no effect on mRNA expression in infected calves. Treatment with GLP-2 also increased tight junction protein ZO-1 protein expression in jejunum of noninfected calves as determined by immunohistochemistry. In ileum, E. bovis decreased expression of JAM2 , OCLN , and TJP1 in buffer-treated calves, and GLP-2 increased TJP1 expression in infected calves. In cecum, E. bovis infection reduced expression of CXADR , CLDN4 , F11R , and OCLN , and GLP-2 therapy increased expression of CLDN4 , F11R , OCLN , and TJP1 . Results are consistent with studies in nonruminants showing decreased expression of TJ complex proteins in the intestinal tract during pathogen-induced diarrhea and increased TJ protein expression in intestinal tissues in response to GLP-2 treatment. In conclusion, E. bovis reduces gene expression of TJ proteins primarily in cecum of calves 28d postinfection, and GLP-2 increases expression of selected TJ genes in intestinal tissues. Use of GLP-2 to improve gut barrier function in ruminants during pathogen-induced diarrhea warrants additional study.