Transepithelial transport of macromolecular substances in IL-4 treated human intestinal T84 cell monolayers.

The effect of interleukin-4 (IL-4), a cytokine associated with allergy and inflammation, on the permeability of the intestinal epithelium was investigated. IL-4 reduced transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) and increased permeation to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and Lucifer Yellow (LY) of human intestinal T84 cell monolayers. The increased permeation due to IL-4 treatment was also observed at 4 degrees C. The permeability of T84 cell monolayers to beta-lactogulobulin (beta-Lg), ovalbumin (OVA), and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran of various molecular sizes was also high in the IL-4-treated cell monolayers. Sodium azide (NaN(3)), which inhibits ATP synthesis of the cells, did not inhibit the increases in these substances. Even 150 kDa FITC-dextran significantly permeated the T84 cells when the monolayers were treated with IL-4. These results suggest that fairly large molecules are able to permeate intestinal epithelial monolayers via the energy-independent paracellular pathway when the monolayers are exposed to excessive IL-4.

Induction by activated macrophage-like THP-1 cells of apoptotic and necrotic cell death in intestinal epithelial Caco-2 monolayers via tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Intestinal epithelial cells interact with immune cells located in the intestinal epithelium via soluble factors. An in vitro model system using coculture was constructed to analyze the effect of macrophages on intestinal epithelial cells, and human intestinal epithelial-like Caco-2 monolayers and activated macrophage-like THP-1 cells were used in this study. Coculturing with THP-1 cells resulted in an increase of lactate dehydrogenase release from Caco-2 and a decrease in the transepithelial electrical resistance of the monolayers, showing that coculturing with THP-1 induced cell damage to Caco-2 cells. This disruption was significantly suppressed by adding anti-TNF-alpha antibody and etanercept, strongly suggesting that TNF-alpha secreted from THP-1 had caused cell damage to Caco-2 monolayers. The disrupted Caco-2 monolayers showed both apoptotic and necrotic characteristics by morphological and biochemical analyses. TNFRI and NF-kappaB seem to have been involved in this regulation. It is suggested that this phenomenon is similar in some respects to that observed with IBD and that this in vitro coculture system could be a good model for searching for the drugs or food substances that can be used to treat or prevent IBD.

Signaling pathways involved in tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced upregulation of the taurine transporter in Caco-2 cells.

We have previously demonstrated that the taurine uptake and transporter (TAUT) mRNA expression were upregulated by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in Caco-2 cells. In this present study, the signaling molecules related to this upregulation were investigated. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, a nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) inhibitor, repressed the upregulation of taurine uptake and TAUT mRNA expression. A reporter assay revealed that TNF-alpha-induced TAUT transcriptional activity through the NF-kappaB consensus-like sequence in the human TAUT promoter region. An electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that NF-kappaB could bind to the NF-kappaB consensus-like sequence. The anti-TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) antibody, but not the TNF receptor 2 (TNFR2) antibody, repressed this upregulation.

Regulation of the human taurine transporter by TNF-alpha and an anti-inflammatory function of taurine in human intestinal Caco-2 cells.

We investigated whether or not the inflammatory cytokines affect the activity of taurine transporter (TAUT) in human intestinal Caco-2 cells. Among the cytokines, tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-alpha) markedly augmented the TAUT activity. A kinetic analysis of the TAUT activity in TNF-alpha-treated Caco-2 cells suggests that this up-regulation was associated with both an increase in the amount of TAUT and an increase in its affinity. Considering these results, it seems that intracellular taurine plays a role in the intestinal epithelial cells under such an inflammatory condition as that caused by an excessive amount of TNF-alpha secreted by macrophages. To verify this hypothesis, we examined the effect of taurine on inflamed intestinal cells by using a co-culture system of Caco-2 cells with human macrophage-like THP-1 cells. The result shows that taurine significantly repressed the damage to Caco-2 cells caused by TNF-alpha secreted by THP-1 cells. Thus, taurine may be a useful substance against intestinal inflammation.

Development of the method for evaluating protective effect of food factors on THP-1-induced damage to human intestinal Caco-2 monolayers.

Immune cells located in the intestinal epithelium interact with intestinal epithelial cells via soluble factors. In this study, a new in vitro model using a coculture system was constructed to analyze the interaction between intestinal epithelial cells and macrophage-like cells. Human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells were differentiated on semipermeable membranes. Human monocytic THP-1 cells were differentiated to macrophage-like cells and then cocultured on the basolateral side of the Caco-2 cell monolayers. By coculturing for 48 hours, an increased release of lactate dehydrogenase from the Caco-2 cells and a decrease in the transepithelial electrical resistance of the monolayers were observed, suggesting that the coculture with THP-1 induced some disruption of the Caco-2 cells. This disruption was significantly suppressed by adding the anti-TNF-alpha antibody to the medium, suggesting that TNF-alpha secreted from THP-1 caused damage to the Caco-2 cells. It is also suggested that this phenomenon is similar to that observed with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The effects of food factors on the cells in this coculture system were examined. The disruption of the Caco-2 cell monolayers was significantly reduced by adding caffeine to the medium on the apical side. It is hoped that this coculture system will be a good model for the treatment of IBD.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha stimulates taurine uptake and transporter gene expression in human intestinal Caco-2 cells.

The effect of cytokines on the taurine uptake by human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells was investigated. Among the various cytokines tested, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) markedly increased the taurine uptake by Caco-2 cells, resulting in an increase in the intracellular taurine level. TNF-alpha did not induce up-regulation of the taurine uptake in hepatic HepG2, renal human embryo kidney 293, and macrophage-like THP-1 cells. The uptake of glycine, L-leucine, and L-glutamic acid by Caco-2 cells was not affected by TNF-alpha. A kinetic analysis of the taurine uptake by TNF-alpha-treated Caco-2 cells suggests that this up-regulation was associated with both an increase in the amount of the taurine transporter (TAUT) and an increase in its affinity. TNF-alpha-treated cells showed a higher mRNA level of the TAUT than did the control cells.