Functional and structural alterations of epithelial barrier properties of rat ileum following X-irradiation

2004 ◽  
Vol 82 (2) ◽  
pp. 84-93 ◽  
Author(s):  
I Dublineau ◽  
F Lebrun ◽  
S Grison ◽  
N M Griffiths

Irradiation of the digestive system leads to alterations of the small intestine. We have characterized the disruption of the barrier integrity in rat ileum from 1 to 14 days following irradiation ranging from 6 to 12 Gy. The intestinal permeability to 14C-mannitol and 3H-dextran 70 000 was measured in vitro in Ussing chambers. In parallel to these functional studies, immunohistochemical analyses of junctional proteins (ZO-1 and β-catenin) of ileal epithelium were performed by confocal microscopy. Irradiation with 10 Gy induced a marked decrease in epithelial tissue resistance at three days and a fivefold increase in mannitol permeability, without modifications of dextran permeability. A disorganization of the localization for ZO-1 and β-catenin was also observed. At 7 days after irradiation, we observed a recovery of the organization of junctional proteins in parallel to a return of intestinal permeability to control value. In addition to these time-dependent effects, a gradual effect on epithelial integrity of the radiation doses was observed 3 days after irradiation. This study shows a disruption of the integrity of the intestinal barrier in rat ileum following abdominal X-irradiation, depending on the time postirradiation and on the delivered dose. The loss of barrier integrity was characterized by a disorganization of proteins of tight and adherent junctions, leading to increased intestinal permeability to mannitol.Key words: intestinal permeability, ZO-1, β-catenin, tight and adherent junctions.

1996 ◽  
Vol 271 (1) ◽  
pp. G147-G155 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. B. Bijlsma ◽  
A. J. Kiliaan ◽  
G. Scholten ◽  
M. Heyman ◽  
J. A. Groot ◽  
...  

The effects of the secretagogues forskolin and carbachol on protein uptake in isolated ileum of rats were studied. The mucosal-to-serosal transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP, mol mass 40 kDa) was measured in Ussing chambers, and afterwards tissues were processed for electron microscopy. In the absence of secretagogues, the flux of enzymatically active HRP was 5 pmol.cm-2.h-1 at a mucosal concentration of 10 microM. Electron micrographs showed vesicles filled with active HRP in enterocytes but no HRP activity in intercellular spaces. Forskolin decreased HRP activity in the cells. Carbachol increased the amount of HRP-filled vesicles in enterocytes and induced HRP filling in some intercellular spaces and tight junctions in the upper parts of the villi. The transepithelial flux of intact HRP increased more than 2.5-fold. This effect was suppressed by atropine. We conclude that cholinergic activation can increase the uptake of intact protein via endocytosis and the transepithelial passage by the induction of a diffusional paracellular pathway. We speculate that the increased transport of intact protein through the intestinal barrier may influence immunologic sensitization to food allergens.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Zhenling Zhang ◽  
Lijing Zhang ◽  
Qiuping Zhang ◽  
Bojia Liu ◽  
Fang Li ◽  
...  

Background. Intestinal barrier injury is an important contributor to many diseases. We previously found that heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and carbon monoxide (CO) protect the intestinal barrier. This study is aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms of HO-1/CO in barrier loss. Materials and Methods. We induced gut leakiness by injecting carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to wildtype or intestinal HO-1-deficient mice. In addition, we administrated tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to cells with gain- or loss-of-HO-1 function. The effects of HO-1/CO maintaining intestinal barrier integrity were investigated in vivo and in vitro. Results. Cobalt protoporphyrin and CO-releasing molecule-2 alleviated colonic mucosal injury and TNF-α levels; upregulated tight junction (TJ) expression; and inhibited epithelial IκB-α degradation and phosphorylation, NF-κB p65 phosphorylation, long MLCK expression, and MLC-2 phosphorylation after administration of CCl4. Zinc protoporphyrin completely reversed these effects. These findings were further confirmed in vitro, using Caco-2 cells with gain- or loss-of-HO-1-function after TNF-α. Pretreated with JSH-23 (NF-κB inhibitor) or ML-7 (long MLCK inhibitor), HO-1 overexpression prevented TNF-α-induced TJ disruption, while HO-1 shRNA promoted TJ damage even in the presence of JSH-23 or ML-7, thus suggesting that HO-1 dependently protected intestinal barrier via the NF-κB p65/MLCK/p-MLC-2 pathway. Intestinal HO-1-deficient mice further demonstrated the effects of HO-1 in maintaining intestinal barrier integrity and its relative mechanisms. Alleviated hepatic fibrogenesis and serum ALT levels finally confirmed the clinical significance of HO-1/CO repairing barrier loss in liver injury. Conclusion. HO-1/CO maintains intestinal barrier integrity through the NF-κB/MLCK pathway. Therefore, the intestinal HO-1/CO-NF-κB/MLCK system is a potential therapeutic target for diseases with a leaky gut.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. 425-425
Author(s):  
Sunhye Lee ◽  
Michael Goodson ◽  
Wendie Vang ◽  
Karen Kalanetra ◽  
Daniela Barile ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives 2’-fucosyllactose (2’-FL), the most predominant oligosaccharide found in human milk, acts as a prebiotic with beneficial effects on the host. The aim of this study was to determine the beneficial effect of 2’-FL on intestinal barrier integrity and metabolic functions in low-fat (LF)- and high-fat (HF)-fed mice. Methods Male C57/BL6 mice (n = 32, 8/group; 6 weeks old, JAX, CA) were counter-balanced into four weight-matched groups and fed either a low-fat (LF; 10% kcal fat with 7% kcal sucrose) or HF (45% kcal fat with 17% kcal sucrose) with or without supplementation of 2’-FL in the diet [10% (w/w), 8 weeks; LF/2’-FL or HF/2’-FL; BASF, Germany]. General phenotypes (body weight, energy intake, fat and lean mass), intestinal permeability (ex vivo in Ussing chambers), lipid profiles, and microbial metabolites were assessed. Results 2’-FL significantly attenuated the HF-induced increase in body fat mass with a trend to decrease body weight gain. 2’-FL significantly decreased intestinal permeability in LF-fed mice with a trend for a decrease in HF-fed mice. This was associated with a significant increase in interleukin-22, a cytokine known to have a protective role in intestinal barrier function. Visceral adipocyte size was significantly decreased by 2’-FL in both LF- and HF-fed mice. 2’-FL suppressed HF-induced upregulation of adipogenic transcription factors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma and sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c in the liver. Lastly, 2’-FL supplementation led to a significant elevation of lactic acid concentration in the cecum of HF-fed mice, which is known to be a product from beneficial microbes. Conclusions 2’-FL supplementation improved gut barrier integrity and lipid metabolism in mice with and without the metabolic challenge of HF feeding. These findings support the use of 2’-FL in the control of gut barrier function and metabolic homeostasis under normal and abnormal physiological conditions. Funding Sources BASF (Germany).


1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (2) ◽  
pp. G175-G183 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. L. Smith ◽  
D. P. Montzka ◽  
G. P. McCafferty ◽  
M. A. Wasserman ◽  
J. D. Fondacaro

Effects of leukotrienes D4 and E4 (LTD4 and LTE4) on electrolyte transport were examined, employing stripped segments of rat and rabbit ileum mounted in Ussing chambers. Addition of LTD4 or LTE4 to the serosal but not the mucosal bathing solution elicited a transient increase in short-circuit current (Isc) with maximal responses seen at 10(-5) M and 10(-8) M in rat and rabbit respectively and a sustained decrease in transepithelial conductance (Gt) in the rat only. In the rat, Cl replacement, reduction of bathing solution [Ca2+] to 1 microM or pretreatment with 1 microM indomethacin or meclofenamic acid inhibited the LTD4- or LTE4-induced Isc changes with no effect on the decrease in Gt. LTD4 (10 microM) transiently increased net Cl secretion and produced a sustained decrease in both unidirectional and net Na transport and mucosal-to-serosal Cl flux in rat ileum. The decrease in unidirectional Na fluxes is accounted for predominantly by a change in the potential independent flux of Na. These results suggest that the increase in Isc in both rat and rabbit is mediated by arachidonic acid metabolites, whereas the decrease in Gt and net Na absorption in rat ileum is mediated by a cyclooxygenase-independent pathway.


Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 417
Author(s):  
Manuele Gori ◽  
Annamaria Altomare ◽  
Silvia Cocca ◽  
Eleonora Solida ◽  
Mentore Ribolsi ◽  
...  

Palmitic acid (PA), a long-chain saturated fatty acid, might activate innate immune cells. PA plays a role in chronic liver disease, diabetes and Crohn’s disease, all of which are associated with impaired intestinal permeability. We investigated the effect of PA, at physiological postprandial intestinal concentrations, on gut epithelium as compared to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and ethanol, using an in vitro gut model, the human intestinal epithelial cell line Caco-2 grown on transwell inserts. Cytotoxicity and oxidative stress were evaluated; epithelial barrier integrity was investigated by measuring the paracellular flux of fluorescein, and through RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence of tight junction (TJ) and adherens junction (AJ) mRNAs and proteins, respectively. In PA-exposed Caco-2 monolayers, cytotoxicity and oxidative stress were not detected. A significant increase in fluorescein flux was observed in PA-treated monolayers, after 90 min and up to 360 min, whereas with LPS and ethanol, this was only observed at later time-points. Gene expression and immunofluorescence analysis showed TJ and AJ alterations only in PA-exposed monolayers. In conclusion, PA affected intestinal permeability without inducing cytotoxicity or oxidative stress. This effect seemed to be faster and stronger than those with LPS and ethanol. Thus, we hypothesized that PA, besides having an immunomodulatory effect, might play a role in inflammatory and functional intestinal disorders in which the intestinal permeability is altered.


2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Federica Rubbino ◽  
Valentina Garlatti ◽  
Valeria Garzarelli ◽  
Luca Massimino ◽  
Salvatore Spanò ◽  
...  

AbstractGPR120 (encoded by FFAR4 gene) is a receptor for long chain fatty acids, activated by ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFAs), and expressed in many cell types. Its role in the context of colorectal cancer (CRC) is still puzzling with many controversial evidences. Here, we explored the involvement of epithelial GPR120 in the CRC development. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted to mimic the conditional deletion of the receptor from gut epithelium. Intestinal permeability and integrity of mucus layer were assessed by using Evans blue dye and immunofluorescence for MUC-2 protein, respectively. Microbiota composition, presence of lipid mediators and short chain fatty acids were analyzed in the stools of conditional GPR120 and wild type (WT) mice. Incidence and grade of tumors were evaluated in all groups of mice before and after colitis-associated cancer. Finally, GPR120 expression was analyzed in 9 human normal tissues, 9 adenomas, and 17 primary adenocarcinomas. Our work for the first time highlights the role of the receptor in the progression of colorectal cancer. We observed that the loss of epithelial GPR120 in the gut results into increased intestinal permeability, microbiota translocation and dysbiosis, which turns into hyperproliferation of epithelial cells, likely through the activation of β -catenin signaling. Therefore, the loss of GPR120 represents an early event of CRC, but avoid its progression as invasive cancer. these results demonstrate that the epithelial GPR120 receptor is essential to maintain the mucosal barrier integrity and to prevent CRC developing. Therefore, our data pave the way to GPR120 as an useful marker for the phenotypic characterization of CRC lesions and as new potential target for CRC prevention.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lili Qi ◽  
Haiguang Mao ◽  
Xiaohui Lu ◽  
Tingting Shi ◽  
Jinbo Wang

Cinnamaldehyde is an aromatic aldehyde isolated from the essential oil of cinnamon. It has been proved to possess various bioactivities such as anti-inflammation, anti-bacteria and antihypertensive. Nevertheless, early weaning could lead to intestinal stress, causing a range of intestinal health problems. The aim of this study is to explore the effects of cinnamaldehyde on gut barrier integrity, inflammatory responses, and intestinal microbiome of early weaned rats. In this study, treatment with cinnamaldehyde (100 or 200 mg/kg bodyweight/day) for 2 weeks significantly promoted the production of mucins in the colonic epithelial tissue of rats. Cinnamaldehyde supplementation significantly upregulated the expression of Muc2, TFF3 and the tight junction proteins (ZO-1, claudin-1, and occludin). Hematoxylin and eosin staining results showed that colonic histopathological changes were recovered by cinnamaldehyde supplementation. The mRNA expression of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly decreased in the cinnamaldehyde groups while the TNF-α protein levels were significantly decreased in the two cinnamaldehyde groups. Cinnamaldehyde treatment obviously attenuated the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway in rat colonic tissue and suppressed the production of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, cinnamaldehyde supplementation remodeled the gut microbiome structure, at the genus level, Akkermansia, Bacteroides, Clostridium III, Psychrobacter, Intestinimonas were increased, whereas those of Ruminococcus, Escherichia/Shigella were obviously decreased in the cinnamaldehyde treated groups. These findings indicated that cinnamaldehyde could effectively enhance intestinal barrier integrity, ameliorate inflammatory responses and remodel gut microbiome in early weaned rats.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengyao Li ◽  
Xue Bai ◽  
Xiaolei Liu ◽  
Yuanyuan Zhang ◽  
Lei Liu ◽  
...  

The physical barrier is composed of epithelial cells which are joined together through intercellular connections. It serves to prevent pathogenic microorganisms from departing the intestinal lumen to invade the host. The excretory secretory (ES) products of Trichinella spiralis are critical for invasion. However, whether ES products of T. spiralis can act on the intestinal barrier is still unknown. In this study, the role of ES products of T. spiralis muscle larvae (Ts-ML-ES) in host invasion was studied by establishing an in vitro cell monolayers model. Barrier integrity analysis by a transmembrane resistance test and a paracellular permeability assay revealed that the Ts-ML-ES was able to destroy barrier function. It occurred via a reduction in the expression of tight junction (TJ) proteins, which was induced by serine protease. Furthermore, Western bolt analysis indicated that Ts-ML-ES reduced the expression of TJ proteins via the MAPK signaling pathway. Based on these data, we conclude that serine protease are likely the main factors from Ts-ML-ES that affect host intestinal barrier integrity by reducing the expression of TJs via the P38-MAPK signaling pathway. Serine protease in Ts-ML-ES might be a key invasion factor in T. spiralis.


Author(s):  
Dianne Pupo Gómez ◽  
Francois Boudreau

Maintenance of intestinal epithelium homeostasis is a complex process because of the multicellular and molecular composition of the gastrointestinal wall and the involvement of surrounding interactive signals. The complex nature of this intestinal barrier system poses challenges in the detailed mechanistic understanding of intestinal morphogenesis and the onset of several gut pathologies, including intestinal inflammatory disorders, food allergies, and cancer. For several years, the gut scientific community has explored different alternatives in research involving animals and in vitro models consisting of cultured monolayers derived from the immortalized or cancerous origin cell lines. The recent ability to recapitulate intestinal epithelial dynamics from mini-gut cultures has proven to be a promising step in the field of scientific research and biomedicine. The organoids can be grown as two- or three-dimensional structures, and are derived from adult or pluripotent stem cells that ultimately establish an intestinal epithelium that is composed of all differentiated cell types present in the normal epithelium. In this review, we summarize the different origins and recent use of organoids in modeling intestinal epithelial differentiation and barrier properties.


Toxins ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 665 ◽  
Author(s):  
Negisa Seyed Toutounchi ◽  
Astrid Hogenkamp ◽  
Soheil Varasteh ◽  
Belinda van’t Land ◽  
Johan Garssen ◽  
...  

Deoxynivalenol, T-2 toxin, and zearalenone, major Fusarium mycotoxins, contaminate human food on a global level. Exposure to these mycotoxins during pregnancy can lead to abnormalities in neonatal development. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Fusarium mycotoxins on human placental epithelial cells. As an in vitro model of placental barrier, BeWo cells were exposed to different concentrations of deoxynivalenol, zearalenone or T-2 toxin. Cytotoxicity, effects on barrier integrity, paracellular permeability along with mRNA and protein expression and localization of junctional proteins after exposure were evaluated. Induction of proinflammatory responses was determined by measuring cytokine production. Increasing mycotoxin concentrations affect BeWo cell viability, and T-2 toxin was more toxic compared to other mycotoxins. Deoxynivalenol and T-2 toxin caused significant barrier disruption, altered protein and mRNA expression of junctional proteins, and induced irregular cellular distribution. Although the effects of zearalenone on barrier integrity were less prominent, all tested mycotoxins were able to induce inflammation as measured by IL-6 release. Overall, Fusarium mycotoxins disrupt the barrier of BeWo cells by altering the expression and structure of junctional proteins and trigger proinflammatory responses. These changes in placental barrier may disturb the maternal–fetal interaction and adversely affect fetal development.


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