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Updated: Nov 24, 2025

Investigating Intestinal Barrier Breakdown in Living Organoids
Published on: March 26, 2020
Indole-3-propionic Acid Improved the Intestinal Barrier by Enhancing Epithelial Barrier and Mucus Barrier
Jiaojiao Li1, Li Zhang1, Tao Wu1
1State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Institute of Nutrition and School of Food Science, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330047, China.
Abstract:
Destruction in intestinal barrier is concomitant with the intestinal diseases. There is growing evidence that tryptophan-derived intestinal bacterial metabolites play a critical role in maintaining the balance of intestinal mucosa. In this study, the Caco-2/HT29 coculture model was used to evaluate the effect of indole-3-propionic acid (IPA) on the intestinal barrier and explore its underlying mechanism. We found that IPA increased transepithelial electrical resistance and decreased paracellular permeability which was consistent with the increase in tight junction proteins (claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1). Furthermore, IPA strengthened the mucus barrier by increasing mucins (MUC2 and MUC4) and goblet cell secretion products (TFF3 and RELMβ). Additionally, IPA weakened the expression of LPS-induced inflammatory factors. These discoveries provide new views for understanding the improvement of intestinal barrier by gut microbial metabolites of aromatic amino acids.
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