Treatment of lactoferrin and antimicrobial peptide N6 on bacterial enteritis caused by Escherichia coli in mice

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is a major cause of diarrhea in humans and animals. The study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of bLf as an adjuvant combined with AMP (N6) in the treatment of E. coli-induced bacterial enteritis. Sixty female ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups: CK group, NC group:(infected and untreated), N6 treatment group (20 mg/kg), bLf treatment group (100 mg/kg), bLf+ N6-A treatment group (10 mg/kg N6+100 mg/kg bLf) and bLf+N6- b group (20 mg/kg N6+100 mg/kg bLf), the clinical symptoms, intestinal morphology, inflammatory response and serum metabolites were monitored. The results showed that: compared with the NC group, the bLf-N6-A and bLf-N6-B treatment groups had significant reductions in TNF-α and IL-6, significant increases in IL-10, and significant reductions in endotoxin and DAO in plasma (p<0.05). Meanwhile, the bLf-N6-A and bLf-N6-B treatment groups significantly increased the expression of ZO-1, claudin-1 and occludin, increased the height of small intestinal mucosal villi and VH/CD after ETEC K88-induced intestinal injury (p<0.05). The supplementation of bLf and N6 relieved enteritis by balancing intestinal mucosal immunity, improving intestinal morphology and barrier function. BLf combined with N6 can be used as an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of bacterial enteritis.