Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Counteract Inflammatory and Oxidative Damage of Non-Transformed Porcine Enterocytes

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Farm animals frequently suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases due to certain physiological or pathophysiological conditions such as weaning, the periparturient period and infections. Traditionally, antibiotics were added to animal diets to counteract inflammation and enhance growth. However, this leads to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial species which causes potential health hazards. Over several decades, omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids have been known to exhibit a multitude of beneficial effects in animal health and are regarded as a functional food with therapeutic potential. We accessed the bioactivity of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids as eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid in pig intestinal epithelium under different stress conditions in an in vitro set-up. Our results demonstrated the proliferative and cytoprotective properties of the two fatty acids, which are fundamental to determining the cellular mechanism for efficient utilization in pig diets. ABSTRACT: Marine and plant-based omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) are widely added to animal diets to promote growth and immunity. We tested the hypothesis that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and their 1:2 combination could counteract acute or long-term damage of lipopolysaccharides (LPS), dextran sodium sulphate (DSS) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) in Intestinal Porcine Epithelial Cell line-J2 (IPEC-J2). The results showed that 24 h treatment with EPA or DHA exhibited proliferative effects in IPEC-J2 cells at low to moderate concentrations (6.25–50 μM) (p < 0.05). Further, 24 h pretreatment with individual DHA (3.3 µM), EPA (6.7 µM) or as DHA:EPA (1:2; 10 µM) combination increased the mitochondrial activity or cell membrane integrity post-LPS (24 h), DSS (24 h) and H(2)O(2) (1 h) challenge (p < 0.05). Additionally, DHA:EPA (1:2, 10 µM) combination decreased the apoptotic caspase-3/7 activity around twofold after 24 h LPS and DSS challenge (p < 0.05). Our study confirms the proliferative and cytoprotective properties of EPA and DHA in IPEC-J2 cells. Increased intracellular mitochondrial activity and cell membrane integrity by ω-3 PUFAs can play a role in preventing enterocyte apoptosis during acute or chronic inflammatory and oxidative stress.