Mechanism of inhibition of colitis by indole-3-carbinol (96.19)

Abstract

Abstract Colitis is an autoimmune disease characterized by acute or chronic inflammation of the large intestine. Currently there is no cure for patients suffering from colitis, and most treatments involve the use of immunosuppressive drugs that can have adverse side-effects or increased toxicity. In the current study, we investigated the effects of indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a component found in a number of cruciferous vegetables. The products of I3C activate the aryl hydrocarbon (AhR) receptor, which has been shown in our laboratory to trigger apoptosis in activated T cells. In the current study, we tested the effect of I3C on a colitis model induced by administration of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). The data showed that I3C administration reversed the weight loss seen during DSS-induced colitis. I3C treatment also reversed the shortening of the colon caused by DSS, as well decreased the level of immune cell infiltration found in the large intestine of colitis-induced mice. Early analysis of cell populations from the mesenteric lymph node showed that I3C treatment reduced the effects the disease model had on immune cells including T regulatory cells, natural killer cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. In all these immune cell subsets, I3C treatment caused a return of the proportion of these cell populations to a more normal state. Together, the current study suggests that I3C may a serve as a novel treatment modality against colitis.