Arginine is a semi-essential amino acid, supplementation with which induces a reduction of intestinal damage and an improvement of intestinal immunity in weaned piglets, but the mechanism is not yet entirely clear. The aim of this study was to characterise a co-culture model by measuring changes in gene expression over time (24 and 48 h) in intestinal IPEC-J2 cells in the presence of immune cells activated with phytohemagglutinin and, consequently, to assess the effectiveness of arginine deprivation or supplementation in modulating the expression of certain cytokines related to the regulation of intestinal cells' function. The main results show the crucial role of arginine in the viability/proliferation of intestinal cells evaluated by an MTT assay, and in the positive regulation of the expression of pro-inflammatory (TNF-α, IL-1α, IL-6, IL-8) and anti-inflammatory (TGF-β) cytokines. This experimental model could be important for analysing and clarifying the role of nutritional conditions in intestinal immune cells' functionality and reactivity in pigs as well as the mechanisms of the intestinal defence system. Among the potential applications of our in vitro model of interaction between IEC and the immune system there is the possibility of studying the effect of feed additives to improve animal health and production.
Keywords: IPEC-J2; PBMC; arginine; co-culture system; swine.