scholarly journals Inflammatory and Microbiota-Related Regulation of the Intestinal Epithelial Barrier

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanni Barbara ◽  
Maria Raffaella Barbaro ◽  
Daniele Fuschi ◽  
Marta Palombo ◽  
Francesca Falangone ◽  
...  

The intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB) is one of the largest interfaces between the environment and the internal milieu of the body. It is essential to limit the passage of harmful antigens and microorganisms and, on the other side, to assure the absorption of nutrients and water. The maintenance of this delicate equilibrium is tightly regulated as it is essential for human homeostasis. Luminal solutes and ions can pass across the IEB via two main routes: the transcellular pathway or the paracellular pathway. Tight junctions (TJs) are a multi-protein complex responsible for the regulation of paracellular permeability. TJs control the passage of antigens through the IEB and have a key role in maintaining barrier integrity. Several factors, including cytokines, gut microbiota, and dietary components are known to regulate intestinal TJs. Gut microbiota participates in several human functions including the modulation of epithelial cells and immune system through the release of several metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Mediators released by immune cells can induce epithelial cell damage and TJs dysfunction. The subsequent disruption of the IEB allows the passage of antigens into the mucosa leading to further inflammation. Growing evidence indicates that dysbiosis, immune activation, and IEB dysfunction have a role in several diseases, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and gluten-related conditions. Here we summarize the interplay between the IEB and gut microbiota and mucosal immune system and their involvement in IBS, IBD, and gluten-related disorders.

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 2906-2913 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanlong Li ◽  
Xudong Tian ◽  
Shengcai Li ◽  
Lijun Chang ◽  
Ping Sun ◽  
...  

Dysfunction of the intestinal epithelial barrier plays an important role in the pathogenesis of several intestinal diseases, including celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and irritable bowel syndrome.


Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shara Francesca Rapa ◽  
Rosanna Di Paola ◽  
Marika Cordaro ◽  
Rosalba Siracusa ◽  
Ramona D’Amico ◽  
...  

Intestinal epithelial barrier impairment plays a key pathogenic role in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). In particular, together with oxidative stress, intestinal epithelial barrier alteration is considered as upstream event in ulcerative colitis (UC). In order to identify new products of natural origin with a potential activity for UC treatment, this study evaluated the effects of plumericin, a spirolactone iridoid, present as one of the main bioactive components in the bark of Himatanthus sucuuba (Woodson). Plumericin was evaluated for its ability to improve barrier function and to reduce apoptotic parameters during inflammation, both in intestinal epithelial cells (IEC-6), and in an animal experimental model of 2, 4, 6-dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS)-induced colitis. Our results indicated that plumericin increased the expression of adhesion molecules, enhanced IEC-6 cells actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, and promoted their motility. Moreover, plumericin reduced apoptotic parameters in IEC-6. These results were confirmed in vivo. Plumericin reduced the activity of myeloperoxidase, inhibited the expression of ICAM-1, P-selectin, and the formation of PAR, and reduced apoptosis parameters in mice colitis induced by DNBS. These results support a pharmacological potential of plumericin in the treatment of UC, due to its ability to improve the structural integrity of the intestinal epithelium and its barrier function.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 8077-8088
Author(s):  
Zhenxia Xu ◽  
Wenchao Chen ◽  
Qianchun Deng ◽  
Qingde Huang ◽  
Xu Wang ◽  
...  

Intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction with dysbiosis of gut microbiota contributes to the occurrence and acceleration of colitis.


2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz J. Ślebioda ◽  
Zbigniew Kmieć

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a group of inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract of unclear aetiology of which two major forms are Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). CD and UC are immunologically distinct, although they both result from hyperactivation of proinflammatory pathways in intestines and disruption of intestinal epithelial barrier. Members of the tumour necrosis factor superfamily (TNFSF) are molecules of broad spectrum of activity, including direct disruption of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity and costimulation of proinflammatory functions of lymphocytes. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) has a well-established pathological role in IBD which also serves as a target in IBD treatment. In this review we discuss the role of TNF and other TNFSF members, notably, TL1A, FasL, LIGHT, TRAIL, and TWEAK, in the pathogenesis of IBD.


2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 1166-1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tingting Chen ◽  
Choon Young Kim ◽  
Amandeep Kaur ◽  
Lisa Lamothe ◽  
Maliha Shaikh ◽  
...  

Impaired gut barrier function plays an important role in the development of many diseases such as obesity, inflammatory bowel disease, and in HIV infection.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cheng Wang ◽  
Cheng Ma ◽  
Ke Fu ◽  
Li-Hong Gong ◽  
Ya-Fang Zhang ◽  
...  

Liver fibrosis is a chronic pathological process that various pathogenic factors lead to abnormal hyperplasia of hepatic connective tissue, and its main feature is the excessive deposition of extracellular matrix. However, there are currently no drugs approved for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Phillygenin (PHI), a lignan isolated from Forsythiae Fructus, showed potential anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrosis effects but the mechanisms remain unknown. In view of the vital role of gut microbiota in the development of liver fibrosis, this study aimed to explore whether PHI could protect intestinal epithelial barrier and attenuate liver fibrosis by maintaining the homeostasis of intestinal microbiota. Therefore, the liver fibrosis model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of olive oil containing 10% carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 4 weeks in C57BL/6J mice. Histological analysis including Hematoxylin-Eosin, Masson, Sirius red, and immunohistochemistry staining were carried out to detect the histopathology and collagen deposition of mice liver tissues. The biochemical indexes related to liver function (ALT, AST, AKP, γ-GT), fibrosis (HYP, HAase, LN, PC III, IV-C) and inflammation (TNF-α, MIP-1, LPS) were determined by specific commercial assay kits. In vivo experimental results showed that PHI could improve liver histopathological injury, abnormal liver function, collagen deposition, inflammation and fibrosis caused by CCl4. Moreover, PHI restored the intestinal epithelial barrier by promoting the expression of intestinal barrier markers, including ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-1. More importantly, the corrective effect of PHI on the imbalance of gut microbiota was confirmed by sequencing of the 16 S rRNA gene. In particular, PHI treatment enriches the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, which is reported to alleviate inflammation and fibrosis of damaged liver. Collectively, PHI attenuates CCl4-induced liver fibrosis partly via modulating inflammation and gut microbiota.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S109-S109
Author(s):  
M. Friedrich ◽  
J. Ganther ◽  
T. Breiderhoff ◽  
R. Rosenthal ◽  
R. Glauben ◽  
...  

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