Vaccarin enhances intestinal barrier function in type 2 diabetic mice

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology and Endocrinology
• Pharmacology and Traditional Medicine
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is characterized by hyperglycemia and insulin resistance, leading to intestinal barrier dysfunction.
• Vaccarin, derived from Vaccaria, shows promise in managing T2DM in preclinical models.
• Understanding vaccarin's impact on the gut barrier is crucial for T2DM management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the efficacy of vaccarin in enhancing intestinal barrier function in a T2DM mouse model.
• To elucidate the mechanisms underlying vaccarin's effects on the gut barrier and microbiota.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of a T2DM mouse model using streptozotocin and a high-fat diet.
• Administration of vaccarin (1 mg/kg/day) and assessment of gut microbiota via 16S rRNA sequencing.
• Evaluation of intestinal barrier function using Western blot, qPCR, and morphological analysis; in vitro studies on human intestinal epithelial cells.

Main Results:

• Vaccarin significantly reduced inflammatory mediators in serum and intestinal tissues (P < 0.05).
• Improvements in tight junctions and gut microbiota composition were observed (P < 0.05).
• Vaccarin inhibited the ERK/MLCK signaling pathway, similar to ERK inhibitors, thereby protecting tight junction barriers.

Conclusions:

• Vaccarin protects the intestinal barrier in T2DM by inhibiting the ERK/MLCK pathway and modulating gut microbiota.
• These findings indicate that vaccarin is a potential therapeutic candidate for T2DM-associated intestinal barrier dysfunction.