Sessions

Chronic enteropathy is a common disease in dogs, often associated with intestinal barrier damage. The intestine represents the body's primary line of defense, which, under normal conditions, prevents the entry of pathogens through the synergistic effect of its chemical, biological, and physical components. The disruption of the intestinal barrier's integrity allows bacterial endotoxins (LPS) to enter the bloodstream, potentially inducing systemic oxidative stress and inflammation.

Our research aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of a commercially available humic acid (HA)-containing natural feed supplement. Humic acids are known to contribute to the maintenance of intestinal barrier integrity and the mitigation of oxidative stress and inflammation through their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, prebiotic, barrier-protective, and toxin-binding properties. In our experiments, we examined the anti-inflammatory and barrier-protective effects of HA using two distinct in vitro models. Endotoxemia was modeled with canine isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), while the effect on intestinal barrier integrity was studied using porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2). Inflammation and oxidative stress in the cell cultures were induced using LPS derived from Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium and Enteritidis. We then assessed the potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and barrier-protective effects of the HA supplement. Antioxidant activity was measured using the DCFH-DA method, the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α) was quantified by ELISA, and changes in intestinal barrier integrity were evaluated using the FD4 assay.

Our experiments demonstrated that the HA-containing supplement is capable of improving intestinal barrier function and reducing the production of specific pro-inflammatory cytokines. This dual beneficial effect suggests that the HA-containing supplement may be suitable as an adjunct in the management of gastrointestinal diseases with systemic implications.

However, further in vitro experiments are required to fully elucidate its precise mechanism of action.