Glycinin-induced porcine IPEC-J2 cells damage via the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway

Abstract Background: Glycinin, a protein found in soybean, is a human and animal allergen that causes damage to the intestinal barrier. However, its mechanisms of action remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, the intestinal porcine epithelial cell line IPEC-J2 was used to evaluate the effect of glycinin concentration on the intestinal epithelium and identify the related signaling pathways. Results: IPEC-J2 cells were divided into seven treatment groups and a control group; the cells were treated for 24 h with 1, 5, or 10 mg/mL glycinin or with 5 mg/mL glycinin after 30 min of pre-treatment with 1 μmol/L nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) inhibitor (pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate), inducible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor ( N -ω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester), Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor (SP600125), or p38 inhibitor (SB202190). A series of molecular and biochemical experiments revealed that the levels of NF-κB, p38, and JNK, as well as their downstream proteins, were increased after treatment compared to those in the control group. Conclusion: Glycinin damaged IPEC-J2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner via the NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway.