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Updated: Jul 10, 2025
Murine Colitis Modeling using Dextran Sulfate Sodium DSS
Published on: January 19, 2010
pH Sensitive Quercetin Nanoparticles Ameliorate DSS-Induced Colitis in Mice by Colon-Specific Delivery
Lechen Wang1, Rongrong Fu1, Ying Meng2
1State Key Laboratory of Food Nutrition and Safety, College of Food Science and Engineering, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin, 300457, China.
Scope:
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a classic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that represents a serious threat to human health. As a natural flavonoid with multiple biological activities, quercetin (QCT) suffers from low bioavailability through limitations in chemical stability. Here, the study investigates the regulatory effects of quercetin nanoparticles (QCT NPs) on dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) induced colitis mice.
Methods And Results:
Chitosan is modified to obtain N-succinyl chitosan (NSC) with superior water solubility. Nanoparticles composed of sodium alginate (SA) and NSC can encapsulate QCT after cross-linking, forming QCT NPs. In vitro drug release assays demonstrate the pH sensitivity of QCT NPs. Compared with free quercetin, QCT NPs have better therapeutic efficacy in modulating gut microbiota and its metabolites short chain fatty acid (SCFAs) to relieve DSS-induced colitis in mice, thereby alleviating colon inflammatory infiltration, increasing goblet cells density and mucus protein, ameliorating TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, and Myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels, and recovering intestinal barrier integrity.
Conclusion:
pH sensitive QCT nanoparticles can reduce inflammatory reaction, improve gut microbiota, and repair intestinal barrier by targeting colon, thus improving DSS induced colitis in mice, providing reference for the treatment of colitis.
