Abstract
Bioactive compounds, such as organic acids (OA) and nature-identical compounds (NIC), can exert a role in the protection of intestinal mucosa functionality due to their biological properties. The aim of this study was to understand the role of 2 OA (citric and sorbic acid) and 2 NIC (thymol and vanillin), alone or combined in a blend (OA + NIC), on intestinal barrier functionality, either during homeostatic condition or during an inflammatory challenge performed with pro-inflammatory cytokines and lipopolysaccharides (LPS). The study was performed on the human epithelial cell line Caco-2, a well-known model of the intestinal epithelial barrier. The results showed how OA and NIC alone can improve transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and mRNA levels of tight junction (TJ) components, but OA + NIC showed stronger efficacy compared to the single molecules. When an inflammatory challenge occurred, OA + NIC blend was able both to ameliorate, and prevent, damage caused by the pro-inflammatory stimulus, reducing or preventing the drop in TEER and improving the TJ mRNA expression. The data support the role of OA + NIC in modulating gut barrier functionality and reducing the negative effects of inflammation in intestinal epithelial cells, thereby supporting the gut barrier functionality.
Highlights
IntroductionThe intestinal mucosa is composed of a single layer of epithelial cells, connected to each other through inter-epithelial junctions, and it is the first line of physical defense against harmful agents [1]
The intestinal mucosa is composed of a single layer of epithelial cells, connected to each other through inter-epithelial junctions, and it is the first line of physical defense against harmful agents [1].The maintenance of this barrier function contributes to the homeostasis and health of the animals, since barrier dysfunction might play a role in gut inflammation and disease, thereby reducing growth performance [2]
nature-identical compounds (NIC) alone can improve transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and mRNA levels of tight junction (TJ) components, but organic acids (OA) + NIC showed stronger efficacy compared to the single molecules
Summary
The intestinal mucosa is composed of a single layer of epithelial cells, connected to each other through inter-epithelial junctions, and it is the first line of physical defense against harmful agents [1]. The maintenance of this barrier function contributes to the homeostasis and health of the animals, since barrier dysfunction might play a role in gut inflammation and disease, thereby reducing growth performance [2]. Tight junctions (TJ) are one of the junctional multiprotein complexes which help the adhesion of adjacent epithelial cells, functioning as the gate keeper to control the diffusion of solutes, regulating ion transport, blocking of macromolecules and controlling the selective transport of nutrients [3]. Recent outcomes have highlighted the role of transient potential receptor vanilloid (TRPV) channels in modulating inflammation, while their precise role
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