# Roles of Tight Junction Proteins in Intestinal Barrier Function and Health of Weaned Piglets: A Review

## TL;DR

This review explores how tight junction proteins affect intestinal health in weaned piglets, highlighting their role in preventing digestive diseases and improving growth.

## Contribution

The paper reviews the roles of tight junction proteins in intestinal barrier function and identifies gaps in understanding their regulatory mechanisms in piglets.

## Key findings

- Altered tight junction protein expression impairs intestinal barrier integrity and nutrient absorption in piglets.
- Protecting intestinal health through tight junction proteins can prevent digestive diseases and improve animal welfare.
- Nutritional interventions may help regulate tight junction protein expression and enhance intestinal health.

## Abstract

Growth stagnation or weight loss is common in weaned piglets during their growth and development, and post-weaning diarrhea poses a major challenge to their intestinal health. This study examined the molecular structure and functional mechanisms of tight junction proteins (TJPs) and their roles in intestinal barrier function and immune regulation in weaned piglets. Altered expression of these key intercellular proteins impairs intestinal barrier integrity and nutrient absorption, further compromising piglet growth performance. This review summarizes the important effects of tight junction proteins on piglet intestinal health, emphasizing that protecting intestinal health is essential for preventing digestive diseases, enhancing animal welfare, and improving breeding economic benefits.

Growth stagnation or weight loss is prevalent in weaned piglets, with post-weaning diarrhea severely compromising intestinal health, underscoring the criticality of intestinal structural integrity for preventing digestive disorders. Tight junction proteins (TJPs), core components of intestinal intercellular junctions, play indispensable roles in maintaining barrier function, nutrient absorption, and intestinal homeostasis by regulating paracellular permeability and mediating immune defense-related signaling pathways. Dysregulated TJP expression disrupts these processes and impairs piglet growth performance. Despite recent progress in characterizing TJP-mediated regulation of intestinal health in weaned piglets, key knowledge gaps remain regarding the specific regulatory mechanisms by which distinct TJP subtypes modulate intestinal microbiota–immune crosstalk. Future research should prioritize elucidating the effects of nutritional interventions on TJP expression and intestinal health, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying TJP involvement in intestinal diseases. These efforts will provide theoretical support for developing novel feed additives and nutritional strategies to improve weaned piglet health.