Plumericin Protects Against Experimental Inflammatory Bowel Disease by Restoring Intestinal Barrier Function and Reducing Apoptosis

Overview

Journal Biomedicines

Specialty Biomedical Engineering

Date 2021 Jan 15

PMID 33445622

Citations 8

Authors

Shara Francesca Rapa

Rosanna Di Paola

Marika Cordaro

Rosalba Siracusa

Ramona DAmico

Roberta Fusco

Giuseppina Autore

Salvatore Cuzzocrea

Hermann Stuppner

Stefania Marzocco

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

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 (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.

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