Ferrous bisglycinate increased iron transportation through DMT1 and PepT1 in pig intestinal epithelial cells compared with ferrous sulphate

To study the different mechanisms of absorption of diverse iron sources, pig intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC) were incubated with various concentrations of ferrous sulphate and ferrous bisglycinate for different times to determine the expression of divalent metal transporter (DMT1), peptide transporter (PepT1), ferritin, transferrin receptor (TfR), and neutral amino acid transporter (ASCT1 and ASCT2) using RT-PCR and Western blotting. In the ferrous bisglycinate groups, the expression of DMT1 protein was higher at 24 h and a concentration of 1 mmol · l–1 (P < 0.05) and expression of PepT1 protein was higher in all treatments (P < 0.05); expression of TfR and ferritin mRNA was higher at 36 h, 0.5 mmol · l–1 and 1 mmol · l–1; and 24 h, 1 mmol · l–1; 36 h, 0.5 mmol · l–1 (P < 0.05), respectively; ASCT1 and ASCT2 mRNA expression was higher at 36 h, 0.5 mmol · l–1 (P < 0.05). We conclude that the more effective absorption of ferrous bisglycinate is associated with higher expression of iron-related transporters in IPEC cells.