Small intestinal epithelium homeostasis involves four principal cell types: enterocytes, goblet, enteroendocrine and Paneth cells. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has been shown to affect enterocyte differentiation. This study determined the effect of dietary EGF on goblet, enteroendocrine and Paneth cell differentiation in piglet small intestine and potential mechanisms. Forty-two weaned piglets were used in a 2 × 3 factorial design; the major factors were time post-weaning (days 7 and 14) and dietary treatment (0, 200 or 400 µg/kg EGF supplementation). The numbers of goblet and enteroendocrine cells were generally greater with the increase in time post-weaning. Moreover, the supplementation of 200 µg/kg EGF increased (P < 0.01) the number of goblet and enteroendocrine cells in villus and crypt of the piglet small intestine as compared with the control. Dietary supplementation with 200 µg/kg EGF enhanced (P < 0.05) abundances of differentiation-related genes atonal homologue 1, mucin 2 and intestinal trefoil factor 3 messenger RNA (mRNA) as compared with the control. Piglets fed 200 or 400 µg/kg EGF diet had increased (P < 0.05) abundances of growth factor-independent 1, SAM pointed domain containing ETS transcription factor and pancreatic and duodenal homeobox 1 mRNA, but decreased the abundance (P < 0.01) of E74 like ETS transcription factor 3 mRNA as compared with the control. Animals receiving 400 µg/kg EGF diets had enhanced (P < 0.05) abundances of neurogenin3 and SRY-box containing gene 9 mRNA as compared with the control. The mRNA abundance and protein expression of lysozyme, a marker of Paneth cell, were also increased (P < 0.05) in those animals. As compared with the control, dietary supplementation with 200 µg/kg EGF increased the abundance of EGF receptor mRNA and the ratio of non-phospho(p)-β-catenin/β-catenin (P < 0.05) in villus epithelial cells at days 7 and 14. This ratio in crypt epithelial cells was higher (P < 0.05) on the both 200 and 400 µg/kg EGF groups during the same period. Our results demonstrated that dietary EGF stimulated goblet, enteroendocrine and Paneth cell differentiation in piglets during the post-weaning period, partly through EGFR and Wnt/β-catenin signalling.

中文翻译：

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表皮生长因子通过Wnt /β-catenin信号传导促进断奶仔猪肠道分泌细胞的分化。

小肠上皮稳态涉及四种主要细胞类型：肠上皮细胞，杯状细胞，肠内分泌细胞和Paneth细胞。表皮生长因子（EGF）已显示影响肠细胞分化。这项研究确定了日粮EGF对仔猪小肠杯状，肠内分泌和Paneth细胞分化的影响及其潜在机制。在2×3因子设计中使用了42只断奶仔猪。主要因素是断奶后的时间（第7和14天）和饮食治疗（补充0、200或400 µg / kg EGF）。随着断奶时间的增加，杯状细胞和肠内分泌细胞的数量通常会增加。此外，增加200 µg / kg EGF的补充量（P <0。01）与对照相比，仔猪小肠的绒毛和隐窝中的杯状和肠内分泌细胞数。与对照组相比，日粮中添加200 µg / kg EGF可以增强（P <0.05）分化相关基因atonal homolog 1，粘蛋白2和肠三叶因子3信使RNA（mRNA）的丰度。饲喂200或400μg/ kg EGF日粮的仔猪增加了（P <0.05）不依赖生长因子的1的丰度，包含ETS转录因子的SAM尖域以及胰腺和十二指肠同源盒1 mRNA的丰度，但是降低了猪的EGF丰度（P <0.01）与对照相比，E74类似于ETS转录因子3mRNA。与对照组相比，接受400 µg / kg EGF饮食的动物神经元3和SRY-box含有基因9 mRNA的丰度提高（P <0.05）。这些动物的Paneth细胞标志物溶菌酶的mRNA丰度和蛋白质表达也增加了（P <0.05）。与对照组相比，日粮中添加200 µg / kg EGF可以增加绒毛上皮细胞中EGF受体mRNA的丰度和非磷酸（p）-β-catenin/β-catenin的比例（P <0.05）。如图7和14所示。在同一时期，在200和400 µg / kg EGF组中，隐窝上皮细胞的这一比率均较高（P <0.05）。我们的结果表明，日粮EGF可以在断奶后刺激仔猪的杯状细胞，肠内分泌和Paneth细胞分化，部分是通过EGFR和Wnt /β-catenin信号传导。饮食中添加200 µg / kg EGF可增加绒毛上皮细胞在第7天和第14天时EGF受体mRNA的丰度和非磷酸（p）-β-catenin/β-catenin的比率（P <0.05）。在同一时期，在200和400 µg / kg EGF组中，隐窝上皮细胞中的PPAR均较高（P <0.05）。我们的结果表明，日粮EGF可以在断奶后刺激仔猪的杯状细胞，肠内分泌和Paneth细胞分化，部分是通过EGFR和Wnt /β-catenin信号传导。饮食中添加200 µg / kg EGF可增加绒毛上皮细胞在第7天和第14天时EGF受体mRNA的丰度和非磷酸（p）-β-catenin/β-catenin的比率（P <0.05）。在同一时期，在200和400 µg / kg EGF组中，隐窝上皮细胞中的PPAR均较高（P <0.05）。我们的结果表明，日粮EGF可以在断奶后刺激仔猪的杯状细胞，肠内分泌和Paneth细胞分化，部分是通过EGFR和Wnt /β-catenin信号传导。