Aldosterone Is Positively Associated With Circulating FGF23 Levels in Chronic Kidney Disease Across Four Species, and May Drive FGF23 Secretion Directly.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is accompanied by increases in circulating fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) and aldosterone levels. Here, we tested the hypothesis that aldosterone may be one of the driving forces behind increased FGF23 secretion in CKD.

Methods: Using data from a prospective study in humans, a retrospective study in dogs and cats, and an experimental study in 5/6-nephrectomized mice, we analyzed the relationship between circulating FGF23 and serum aldosterone levels in CKD across four species.

Caprate Modulates Intestinal Barrier Function in Porcine Peyer's Patch Follicle-Associated Epithelium.

Background: Many food components influence intestinal epithelial barrier properties and might therefore also affect susceptibility to the development of food allergies. Such allergies are triggered by increased antibody production initiated in Peyer's patches (PP). Usually, the presentation of antigens in the lumen of the gut to the immune cells of the PP is strongly regulated by the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) that covers the PP.

Formula Feeding Predisposes Neonatal Piglets to Clostridium difficile Gut Infection.

Spontaneous outbreaks of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) occur in neonatal piglets, but the predisposing factors are largely not known. To study the conditions for C. difficile colonization and CDI development, 48 neonatal piglets were moved into isolators, fed bovine milk-based formula, and infected with C.

Molecular Characterization of Barrier Properties in Follicle-Associated Epithelium of Porcine Peyer's Patches Reveals Major Sealing Function of Claudin-4.

The pig represents a preferred model for the analysis of intestinal immunology. However, the barrier of the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) covering porcine Peyer's patches (PP) has not yet been characterized in detail. This study aimed to perform this characterization in order to pave the way toward an understanding of the functional contribution of epithelial barrier properties in gut immunology.

Porcine milk induces a strengthening of barrier function in porcine jejunal epithelium in vitro.

Milk contains a variety of components that have been shown to affect the expression and localization of epithelial tight junction proteins and therefore the intestinal barrier. Thus, we hypothesized that milk would have an effect on intestinal barrier properties, owing to effects on the tight junction in an intraspecies porcine intestinal in vitro model. Jejunal samples of piglets derived from different age groups were analyzed.

Effects of Ex Vivo Infection with ETEC on Jejunal Barrier Properties and Cytokine Expression in Probiotic-Supplemented Pigs.

Background And Aim: Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) strains are involved in piglet post-weaning diarrhea. Prophylactic measures including probiotics have been examined in infection experiments with live piglets. In the present study, we have tested whether the early effects of ETEC infection can also be evoked and studied in a model in which ETEC is added to whole mucosal tissues ex vivo, and whether this response can be modulated by prior supplementation of the piglets with probiotics.