Abstract
BackgroundIntestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP) is expressed in epithelial cells of the mucosal layer of the small intestine tissue. When intestinal mucosal damage occurs, I-FABP is released into the circulation and its plasma concentration increases. In the context of obesity, the gut barrier integrity can be disrupted by dietary fat while intestinal permeability increases.ObjectiveTo investigate whether intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) is a suitable plasma marker of intestinal injury and inflammation in obesity.MethodsTwelve male Wistar rats were randomly divided into two groups of six animals each: standard (St) and high-fat (HF) diet fed groups for 12 weeks.ResultsHF fed animals developed obesity, insulin resistance and seemed to present increased plasma levels of proinflammatory cytokines (MCP-1 and IL1β). The gut microbiota composition of these animals was also altered, with lower number of copies of Bacteroidetes, Prevotella spp. and Lactobacillus spp., in comparison with those from St diet group. Fecal lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations tended to be increased in HF fed animals. Intestinal expression of TLR4 seemed to be also increased in HF fed animals suggesting that HF diet-induced dysbiosis may be behind the systemic inflammation observed. However, in contrast to other intestinal inflammatory diseases, plasma I-FABP levels were decreased in HF fed rats whereas I-FABP expression in jejunum tended to be increased.ConclusionsHF diet-induced obesity is characterized by dysbiosis, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation. In this context, plasmatic I-FABP should not be used as a marker of the intestinal barrier dysfunction and the low-grade chronic inflammatory status.
Highlights
Intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP) is expressed in epithelial cells of the mucosal layer of the small intestine tissue
Intestinal expression of tolllike receptor 4 (TLR4) seemed to be increased in HF fed animals suggesting that HF diet-induced dysbiosis may be behind the systemic inflammation observed
HF diet-induced obesity is characterized by dysbiosis, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation
Summary
Intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP) is expressed in epithelial cells of the mucosal layer of the small intestine tissue. When intestinal mucosal damage occurs, I-FABP is released into the circulation and its plasma concentration increases. Intestinal fatty-acid binding protein (I-FABP) is an intracellular protein and abundantly expressed in the epithelial cells of the mucosal layer of the small and large intestine tissue [5]. I-FABP has emerged as a possible non-invasive marker for evaluating gut wall integrity loss and inflammation. Defining new and early non-invasive markers of gut barrier dysfunction might be of great interest in order to manage a safe modulation of the intestinal microbiota before emergence of obesity and associated metabolic diseases
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