{
  "abstract": "Heat stress severely impairs broiler intestinal health and production, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE 2 ) plays a crucial role in body thermoregulation. However, the regulatory mechanism linking PGE 2 to intestinal inflammation through the brain-gut axis has not been fully elucidated in broilers. Here, we integrated in vivo and in vitro experiments to explore how PGE 2 mediates heat stress-induced intestinal immune dysfunction in broilers. Heat stress increased brain and rectal temperatures while suppressing growth performance ( P < 0.05). It activated the transient receptor potential melastatin 2 (TRPM2) channel and elevated cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2, PGE 2 synthase) content and PGE 2 concentration in the hypothalamus ( P < 0.05), and intracerebroventricular inhibition confirmed the role of TRPM2. Heat stress triggered intestinal barrier disruption, characterized by reduced tight junction protein expression ( P < 0.05), particularly in the jejunum; In vitro PGE 2 treatment of intestinal epithelial cells recapitulated this observation. Mechanistically, both in vivo heat stress and in vitro PGE 2 treatment upregulated intestinal EP 4 (PGE 2 receptor), inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP 3 ), transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4), the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production ( P < 0.05); In vitro blockade of E P 4 , IP 3 or TRPV4 attenuated PGE 2 -induced intestinal epithelial inflammation ( P < 0.05). We therefore infer that hypothalamic TRPM2, together with intestinal EP 4 , IP 3 and TRPV4, may contribute to PGE 2 -mediated intestinal inflammation under heat stress. Intestinal interleukin-6 (IL-6) was elevated under heat stress in vivo and in PGE 2 -treated intestinal epithelial cells; IL-6 stimulation of hypothalamic neurons enhanced PGE 2 synthesis ( P < 0.05), implying a potential intestine-to-hypothalamus feedback loop. Collectively, these findings indicate that PGE 2 participates in heat stress-triggered intestinal inflammation, potentially through the brain-gut axis. This study provides a novel immunological insight and theoretical basis for understanding heat stress-related intestinal disorders and optimizing broiler health management under high-temperature conditions.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Key Laboratory of Efficient Utilization of Non-grain Feed Resources (Co-construction by Ministry and Province), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Efficient Feeding, Department of Animal Science, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, Shandong, 271017, China",
    "Corresponding author."
  ],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 6,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Tengjiao Lv"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hanyue Zheng"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hai Lin"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Hongchao Jiao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Jingpeng Zhao"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        1
      ],
      "name": "Xiaojuan Wang"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8w5abzpc1r2mn.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120974",
  "fulltext_url": "http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0147651326013047",
  "id": "8w5abzpc1r2mn",
  "issns": [
    "0147-6513",
    "1090-2414"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120974",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY",
  "licence_label": "CC BY",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "lcc",
      "GE1-350"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "TD172-193.5"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1103|Animal Nutrition and Physiology"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7224119178",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-31",
  "publisher": "Elsevier",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8w5abzpc1r2mn.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-31T14:22:26Z",
      "native_id": "0be6dbb99fbc4fd8a76676307dd19874",
      "source": "doaj",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120974"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "openalex:1103|Animal Nutrition and Physiology",
      "subfield": "zoology-behaviour"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Involvement of PGE",
  "title_text": "Involvement of PGE",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-31T14:22:26Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/8w5abzpc1r2mn",
  "venue": "Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety",
  "versions": []
}