Localization of Claudin-3 and Claudin-4 within the Small Intestine of newborn piglets.

Piglets must acquire passive immunity through colostrum within hours after birth to survive. How colostral macromolecules traverse the small intestinal epithelium may include nonselective pinocytosis and paracellular transport through tight junction proteins located between epithelial cells. Claudin proteins-3 and -4 contribute to the epithelial tight junctions (TJs) on the apical aspect of lateral surfaces of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) where they help regulate ion and macromolecule movement across the intestinal epithelium. Throughout the small intestine of newborn piglets, Claudin-3 was localized to the lateral and basolateral surface of intestinal epithelial cells as well as the membrane of large vacuoles. In the duodenum and jejunum, Claudin-4 was localized to the apical surface independent of tight junction regions. In the ileum, Claudin-4 was localized to the lateral and basolateral surfaces indicating region-specific differences and noncanonical patterns of Claudin-4 localization independent of tight junction regions. Understanding the timing of changes in surface localization of Claudin-3 and Claudin-4 and how they may coincide with changes in small intestinal permeability may help develop new protective strategies against infectious diseases within newborn piglets.