Figure 6.

ROS, MAPKs and c-Jun are involved in LPS combined with heat stress-induced IEC-6 cell apoptosis and intestinal epithelial barrier disruption. Early apoptosis rates of cells that were pretreated with (A) BHA and (B) DMSO, SB203580, SP600125, PD98059 or c-Jun peptide, prior to HL treatment followed by a recovery period for 6 h, as assessed by flow cytometry. Intestinal epithelial barrier function analysis following treatment with inhibitors, as detected by (C) TEER and (D) HRP permeability. Data are presented as the mean ± standard deviation of three independent experiments. **P<0.01 in A; *P<0.05, **P<0.01 and ***P<0.001 vs. HL + DMSO group. CONT, control; LPS, lipopolysaccharide; HL, combined treatment with LPS and heat stress; DMSO, dimethyl sulfoxide; BHA, butylated hydroxyanisole; TEER, transepithelial electrical resistance; HRP, horseradish peroxidase.