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Barrier Effects of Nutritional Factors
Author(s) -
Amasheh Maren,
Andres Susanne,
Amasheh Salah,
Fromm Michael,
Schulzke JörgDieter
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2009.04063.x
Subject(s) - occludin , paracellular transport , tight junction , barrier function , glutamine , caco 2 , chemistry , polyunsaturated fatty acid , biochemistry , intestinal permeability , immune system , flavonoid , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , amino acid , antioxidant , fatty acid , in vitro , immunology , permeability (electromagnetism) , membrane
High dietary intake of fruits and vegetables is associated with a reduced disease risk. Therefore, clinical interest is growing in therapies based on dietary supplements and effects of food components. Immune‐modulatory and barrier‐protective effects have been described for the amino acid glutamine and the trace element zinc. In Caco‐2‐cells, zinc is necessary to maintain the expression of proteins like ZO‐1 and occludin, and experimental evidence exists that glutamine has enterocyte‐protective effects and modulates intestinal barrier function in stressed animals and humans. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) improve paracellular permeability after IL‐4 incubation. Enhancement of barrier properties by long‐chain PUFA is discussed controversially, but a beneficial role preventing the redistribution of occludin and ZO‐1 and reduction of epithelial resistance by IFN‐γ and TNF‐α exists. In addition, a group of secondary plant compounds, the polyphenols, are supposed to be important in this respect. The flavonoid quercetin and its metabolite DHBA increased epithelial resistance of Caco‐2‐cells to 157 ± 4% of control values, and DHBA up to 119 ± 4% of control values, respectively. This is due to a 2.3 ± 0.1‐fold expression rate of the tight junction protein claudin‐4.