Central role of intestinal epithelial glucocorticoid receptor in alcohol‐ and corticosterone‐induced gut permeability and systemic response

A fungal immunomodulatory protein Ling Zhi-8 (LZ-8) isolated from Ganoderma lucidum (GL) regulates immune cells and inhibits tumor growth; however, the role of LZ-8 in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) is...

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PRKAR2A deficiency protects mice from experimental colitis by increasing IFN-stimulated gene expression and modulating the intestinal microbiota

Mucosal Immunology ◽

10.1038/s41385-021-00426-2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Lumin Wei ◽

Rongjing Zhang ◽

Jinzhao Zhang ◽

Juanjuan Li ◽

Deping Kong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Experimental Colitis ◽

Regulatory Subunit ◽

Protective Effects ◽

Intestinal Epithelial ◽

Catalytic Subunits ◽

Regulatory Subunits ◽

Pka Regulatory Subunit ◽

Cross Fostering ◽

Specific Deletion

AbstractProtein kinase A (PKA) plays an important role in regulating inflammation via its catalytic subunits. Recently, PKA regulatory subunits have been reported to directly modulate some signaling pathways and alleviate inflammation. However, the role of PKA regulatory subunits in colonic inflammation remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted this study to investigate the role of the PKA regulatory subunit PRKAR2A in colitis. We observed that PRKAR2A deficiency protected mice from dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced experimental colitis. Our experiments revealed that the intestinal epithelial cell-specific deletion of Prkar2a contributed to this protection. Mechanistically, the loss of PRKAR2A in Prkar2a−/− mice resulted in an increased IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression and altered gut microbiota. Inhibition of ISGs partially reversed the protective effects against DSS-induced colitis in Prkar2a−/− mice. Antibiotic treatment and cross-fostering experiments demonstrated that the protection against DSS-induced colitis in Prkar2a−/− mice was largely dependent on the gut microflora. Altogether, our work demonstrates a previously unidentified function of PRKAR2A in promoting DSS-induced colitis.

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Protective Role of Natural and Semi-Synthetic Tocopherols on TNFα-Induced ROS Production and ICAM-1 and Cl-2 Expression in HT29 Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Antioxidants ◽

10.3390/antiox10020160 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 160

Author(s):

Vladana Domazetovic ◽

Irene Falsetti ◽

Caterina Viglianisi ◽

Kristian Vasa ◽

Cinzia Aurilia ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Oxidative Stress ◽

Antioxidant Properties ◽

Intestinal Barrier ◽

Protective Role ◽

Intercellular Adhesion Molecule ◽

Intestinal Epithelial ◽

Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1 ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Bowel Diseases

Vitamin E, a fat-soluble compound, possesses both antioxidant and non-antioxidant properties. In this study we evaluated, in intestinal HT29 cells, the role of natural tocopherols, α-Toc and δ-Toc, and two semi-synthetic derivatives, namely bis-δ-Toc sulfide (δ-Toc)2S and bis-δ-Toc disulfide (δ-Toc)2S2, on TNFα-induced oxidative stress, and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and claudin-2 (Cl-2) expression. The role of tocopherols was compared to that of N-acetylcysteine (NAC), an antioxidant precursor of glutathione synthesis. The results show that all tocopherol containing derivatives used, prevented TNFα-induced oxidative stress and the increase of ICAM-1 and Cl-2 expression, and that (δ-Toc)2S and (δ-Toc)2S2 are more effective than δ-Toc and α-Toc. The beneficial effects demonstrated were due to tocopherol antioxidant properties, but suppression of TNFα-induced Cl-2 expression seems not only to be related with antioxidant ability. Indeed, while ICAM-1 expression is strongly related to the intracellular redox state, Cl-2 expression is TNFα-up-regulated by both redox and non-redox dependent mechanisms. Since ICAM-1 and Cl-2 increase intestinal bowel diseases, and cause excessive recruitment of immune cells and alteration of the intestinal barrier, natural and, above all, semi-synthetic tocopherols may have a potential role as a therapeutic support against intestinal chronic inflammation, in which TNFα represents an important proinflammatory mediator.

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The microbiome’s relationship with congenital heart disease: more than a gut feeling

Journal of Congenital Cardiology ◽

10.1186/s40949-021-00060-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dan Feng ◽

Jason T. Christensen ◽

Anji T. Yetman ◽

Merry L. Lindsey ◽

Amar B. Singh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Congenital Heart Disease ◽

Heart Disease ◽

Patient Population ◽

Congenital Heart ◽

Basic Research ◽

Intestinal Epithelial ◽

Barrier Dysfunction ◽

Intestinal Dysbiosis ◽

Epithelial Barrier Dysfunction

AbstractPatients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk for developing intestinal dysbiosis and intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction due to abnormal gut perfusion or hypoxemia in the context of low cardiac output or cyanosis. Intestinal dysbiosis may contribute to systemic inflammation thereby worsening clinical outcomes in this patient population. Despite significant advances in the management and survival of patients with CHD, morbidity remains significant and questions have arisen as to the role of the microbiome in the inflammatory process. Intestinal dysbiosis and barrier dysfunction experienced in this patient population are increasingly implicated in critical illness. This review highlights possible CHD-microbiome interactions, illustrates underlying signaling mechanisms, and discusses future directions and therapeutic translation of the basic research.

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Glucocorticoid receptor wields chromatin interactions to tune transcription for cytoskeleton stabilization in podocytes

Communications Biology ◽

10.1038/s42003-021-02209-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hong Wang ◽

Aiping Duan ◽

Jing Zhang ◽

Qi Wang ◽

Yuexian Xing ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Transcription Factor ◽

Glucocorticoid Receptor ◽

Protective Effect ◽

Histone Modification ◽

Regulatory Networks ◽

Target Gene ◽

Regulatory Elements ◽

Chromatin Interactions ◽

Super Enhancer

AbstractElucidating transcription mediated by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is crucial for understanding the role of glucocorticoids (GCs) in the treatment of diseases. Podocyte is a useful model for studying GR regulation because GCs are the primary medication for podocytopathy. In this study, we integrated data from transcriptome, transcription factor binding, histone modification, and genome topology. Our data reveals that the GR binds and activates selective regulatory elements in podocyte. The 3D interactome captured by HiChIP facilitates the identification of remote targets of GR. We found that GR in podocyte is enriched at transcriptional interaction hubs and super-enhancers. We further demonstrate that the target gene of the top GR-associated super-enhancer is indispensable to the effective functioning of GC in podocyte. Our findings provided insights into the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of GCs on podocyte, and demonstrate the importance of considering transcriptional interactions in order to fine-map regulatory networks of GR.

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Rspo3 regulates the abnormal differentiation of small intestinal epithelial cells in diabetic state

Stem Cell Research & Therapy ◽

10.1186/s13287-021-02385-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Ti-Dong Shan ◽

Han Yue ◽

Xue-Guo Sun ◽

Yue-Ping Jiang ◽

Li Chen

Keyword(s):

Epithelial Cells ◽

Bioinformatics Analysis ◽

Intestinal Epithelial Cells ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Luciferase Reporter ◽

Intestinal Epithelial ◽

Epithelial Stem Cells ◽

Diabetic State ◽

Definitive Evidence

Abstract Background The complications caused by diabetes mellitus (DM) are the focus of clinical treatment. However, little is known about diabetic enteropathy (DE) and its potential underlying mechanism. Methods Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and intestinal epithelial stem cells (IESCs) were harvested from BKS.Cg-Dock7m+/+Leprdb/JNju (DM) mice, and the expression of R-Spondin 3 (Rspo3) was detected by RT-qPCR, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence. The role of Rspo3 in the abnormal differentiation of IECs during DM was confirmed by knockdown experiments. Through miRNA expression profiling, bioinformatics analysis, and RT-qPCR, we further analyzed the differentiation-related miRNAs in the IECs from mice with DM. Results Abnormal differentiation of IECs was observed in the mice with DM. The expression of Rspo3 was upregulated in the IECs from the mice with DM. This phenomenon was associated with Rspo3 overexpression. Additionally, Rspo3 is a major determinant of Lgr5+ stem cell identity in the diabetic state. Microarray analysis, bioinformatics analysis, and luciferase reporter assays revealed that microRNA (miR)-380-5p directly targeted Rspo3. Moreover, miR-380-5p upregulation was observed to attenuate the abnormal differentiation of IECs by regulating Rspo3 expression. Conclusions Together, our results provide definitive evidence of the essential role of Rspo3 in the differentiation of IECs in DM.

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