Caragana korshinskii Tannin Attenuates LPS-Induced Sheep Rumen Epithelial Injury via TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Signaling

作者：Xiaojia Mu, Jiaqi Wang, Deyuan Yao, Huinan Jiang, Shangxiong Zhang, Yuanyuan Xing, Dabiao Li, A La Teng Zhu La · 发表于：Biology · 年份：2026 · DOI：10.3390/biology15151258 · 研究领域：Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology、Milk Quality and Mastitis in Dairy Cows、Immune Response and Inflammation

The rumen epithelium mediates nutrient absorption and mucosal defense in ruminants, whereas increased exposure to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) under high-concentrate feeding may induce epithelial inflammation and barrier injury. This study investigated whether Caragana korshinskii tannin (CKT) protects against LPS-induced injury in primary sheep rumen epithelial cells and whether TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling is involved. Cells were pretreated with 5 μg/mL CKT for 18 h and then challenged with 5 μg/mL LPS for 6 h. TLR4 knockdown experiments were performed in a sheep rumen epithelial cell line for mechanistic investigation. LPS induced inflammatory cytokine production, oxidative stress, G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest, apoptosis, and reductions in tight-junction-related markers (p < 0.05). CKT pretreatment attenuated these changes, as reflected by lower ROS and MDA levels, increased antioxidant enzyme activities, reduced apoptosis, and improved the expression of selected tight-junction-related proteins (p < 0.05). CKT also suppressed LPS-recognition components and TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway activation (p < 0.05). TLR4 knockdown weakened LPS-induced injury and reduced the additional protective effect of CKT. Overall, CKT may protect rumen epithelial cells against LPS-induced inflammatory injury partly by inhibiting TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling.