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Fucoxanthin improves stomatitis by regulating mitochondrial function and cGAS-STING signaling
Caipeng Lin1,2, Lili Deng1, Xi Xie3
1Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education and Hainan Engineering Research Center for Drug Screening and Evaluation, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
Scientific Reports
|May 21, 2026
Summary
Fucoxanthin (FX), a marine carotenoid, effectively treats stomatitis by reducing inflammation. It works by improving mitochondrial function and inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway, offering a promising therapeutic option.
Area of Science:
- Marine natural products
- Carotenoids
- Inflammation research
Background:
- Stomatitis is an inflammatory condition of the oral mucosa.
- Fucoxanthin (FX), a marine carotenoid, exhibits anti-inflammatory properties.
- The precise mechanisms of FX's protective effects against stomatitis require elucidation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the protective effects of Fucoxanthin (FX) in stomatitis.
- To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of FX's therapeutic action.
Main Methods:
- Animal models of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-induced oral mucositis.
- In vitro studies using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced human oral keratinocytes (HOKs).
- Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, and molecular docking analyses.
Main Results:
- FX alleviated oral mucosal damage in 5-FU-induced rats.
- FX restored tight junction proteins (Occludin, ZO-1), improved mitochondrial function, and inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in HOKs.
- FX downregulated cGAS-STING signaling pathway components (cGAS, STING, TBK1) and showed direct binding to cGAS and STING.
Conclusions:
- FX ameliorates stomatitis by improving mitochondrial function, reducing mitochondrial DNA release, and inhibiting the cGAS-STING pathway.
- FX demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent for stomatitis.