Figure 5

LP lost the ability to reduce intestinal permeability after overexpression of zonulin protein in NCM460 cells. (A) Zonulin protein expression level was higher in EPEC group, compared with the uninfected control group. After the simultaneous treatment of LP, the increased zonulin protein expression level was lost. The LP-induced increase level of zonulin was not changed after Ad-zonulin was transfected to NCM460 cells, while the increase was continue increased after Ad-lacZ was transfected; (B) Semi-quantitative analysis of western blots results; (C) TER in the NCM460 cell monolayers was found to be significantly decreased in response to infection with EPEC, as compared with uninfected control cells. The EPEC-induced change of TER was prevented by the simultaneous treatment of LP. However, the effects of LP to the EPEC induced change of intestinal permeability was inhibited with the transfection of Ad-zonulin to NCM460 cells, while that impaction did not existed when the Ad-lacZ was transfected instead of Ad-zonulin; (D) Dextran permeability was found to be significantly increased in response to infection with EPEC, as compared with uninfected control cells. The EPEC-induced change of dextran permeability was prevented by the simultaneous treatment of LP. However, the effects of LP to the EPEC induced change of intestinal permeability was inhibited with the transfection of Ad-zonulin to NCM460 cells, while that impaction did not existed when the Ad-lacZ was transfected instead of Ad-zonulin. *, P < 0.05, vs. LP + EPEC group; #, P < 0.05, vs. *.