Protective Effects of Humic Acid on Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction and Inflammatory Activation in Canine Cell-Based Models

Abstract

The intestinal barrier is essential for gastrointestinal and systemic homeostasis by enabling nutrient absorption while limiting the translocation of pathogens and toxins. When barrier function is impaired, bacterial components such as lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) may cross the epithelium and promote inflammatory signaling. In dogs, chronic inflammatory enteropathies are frequent disorders associated with barrier dysfunction, dysbiosis, and immune dysregulation, and may progress to protein-losing enteropathy or systemic inflammation. Humic substances, particularly humic acid (HA), are natural organic compounds with reported antioxidative, immunomodulatory, and barrier-supporting effects; however, the cellular mechanisms underlying these effects in intestinal and immune models remain insufficiently characterized. This study evaluated the effects of a commercially available HA-based supplement on epithelial barrier integrity and inflammatory responses using an in vitro system combining IPEC-J2 intestinal epithelial cells and primary canine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Epithelial barrier integrity (FD4 paracellular flux), reactive oxygen species, and cytokine production (TNF-α, IL-6) were assessed under basal and LPS-stimulated conditions. HA treatment preserved epithelial barrier function and reduced LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokine production, supporting further investigation of HA as a nutraceutical adjunct for gut health support in dogs with chronic enteropathies.