Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase Expression in Response to Escherichia coli Infection in Nursery Pigs

Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) is a brush border enzyme secreted by enterocytes, playing a crucial role in maintaining gut mucosal defense. This study investigated the expression dynamics of IAP in the small intestine of pigs challenged with <i>Escherichia coli (E. coli)</i> K88, compared to healthy controls. Five-week-old pigs (n = 8) were orally administered <i>E. coli</i> K88 at a concentration of 2 × 10⁸ CFU/mL, with a dose of 2 mL per pig at 0 and 24 h. Five days post-challenge, tissue samples from the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum were collected for mucosal morphometric analysis and evaluation of IAP expression via immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and real-time PCR. The results revealed the presence of IAP on the apical surface of villi throughout the small intestine, along with significantly upregulated IAP expression in <i>E. coli</i>-challenged pigs compared to controls. These findings suggest that Gram-negative bacteria such as <i>E. coli</i> can induce IAP expression, likely through lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, thereby enhancing its enzymatic activity as part of the intestinal defense mechanism. This study provides insight into the protective role of IAP and highlights its potential as a biomarker for assessing gut health and diagnosing enteric infections in animals.