Inflammatory bowel disease, comprising Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is often debilitating. The disease etiology is multifactorial, involving genetic susceptibility, microbial dysregulation, abnormal immune activation, and environmental factors. Currently, available drug therapies are associated with adverse effects when used long-term. Therefore, the search for new drug candidates to treat IBD is imperative. The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ) is highly expressed in the colon. PPARγ plays a vital role in regulating colonic inflammation. 1,8-cineole, also known as eucalyptol, is a monoterpene oxide present in various aromatic plants which possess potent anti-inflammatory activity. Molecular docking and dynamics studies revealed that 1,8-cineole binds to PPARγ and if it were an agonist, that would explain the anti-inflammatory effects of 1,8-cineole. Therefore, we investigated the role of 1,8-cineole in colonic inflammation, using both in vivo and in vitro experimental approaches. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis was used as the in vivo model, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα)-stimulated HT-29 cells as the in vitro model. 1,8-cineole treatment significantly decreased the inflammatory response in DSS-induced colitis mice. 1,8-cineole treatment also increased nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) translocation into the nucleus to induce potent antioxidant effects. 1,8-cineole also increased colonic PPARγ protein expression. Similarly, 1,8-cineole decreased proinflammatory chemokine production and increased PPARγ protein expression in TNFα-stimulated HT-29 cells. 1,8-cineole also increased PPARγ promoter activity time-dependently. Because of its potent anti-inflammatory effects, 1,8-cineole may be valuable in treating IBD.

Sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter-1 (SVCT-1) is the major transporter mediating intestinal vitamin C uptake. Intestinal inflammation and prolonged infection are associated with increased serum and intestinal mucosa levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), which also exerts profound effects on the intestinal absorption process. Elevated levels of TNF-α have been linked to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and malabsorption of nutrients, and patients with this condition have low levels of vitamin C. To date, little is known about the effect of TNF-α on intestinal absorption of vitamin C. We studied the impact of TNF-α on ascorbic acid (AA) transport using a variety of intestinal preparations. The expression level of human SVCT-1 mRNA is significantly lower in patients with IBD. TNF-α treated Caco-2 cells and mice showed a significant inhibition of intestinal¹⁴C-AA uptake. This inhibition was associated with significant decreases in SVCT-1 protein, mRNA, and heterogeneous nuclear RNA levels in TNF-α treated Caco-2 cells, mouse jejunum, and enteroids. Also, TNF-α caused a significant inhibition in the SLC23A1 promoter activity. Furthermore, treatment of Caco-2 cells with celastrol (NF-κB inhibitor) blocked the inhibitory effect caused by TNF-α on AA uptake, SVCT-1 protein, and mRNA expression, as well as the activity of SLC23A1 promoter. Treatment of TNF-α also led to a significant decrease in the expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor-1-α, which drives the basal activity of SLC23A1 promoter, and this effect was reversed by celastrol. Together, these findings show that TNF-α inhibits intestinal AA uptake, and this effect is mediated, at least in part, at the level of transcription of the SLC23A1 gene via the NF-κB pathway.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Our findings show that tumor necrosis factor-α inhibits intestinal ascorbic acid uptake in both in vitro and in vivo systems, and this inhibitory effect is mediated, at least in part, at the level of transcription of the SLC23A1 (sodium-dependent vitamin C transporter-1) gene via the NF-κB pathway.

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are chronic inflammatory disorders with increasing incidence and prevalence worldwide. Here, we investigated thymoquinone (TQ), a naturally occurring phytochemical present in Nigella sativa, for anti-inflammatory effects in colonic inflammation. To address this, we used in vivo (mice) and in vitro (HT-29 cells) models in this investigation. Our results showed that TQ treatment significantly reduced the disease activity index (DAI), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and protected colon microscopic architecture. In addition, TQ also reduced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators at both the mRNA and protein levels. Further, TQ decreased phosphorylation of the activated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) proteins and enhanced colon epithelial PPAR-γ transcription factor expression. TQ significantly decreased proinflammatory chemokines (CXCL-1 and IL-8), and mediator (COX-2) mRNA expression in HT-29 cells treated with TNF-α. TQ also increased HT-29 PPAR-γ mRNA, PPAR-γ protein expression, and PPAR-γ promoter activity. These results indicate that TQ inhibits MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways and transcriptionally regulates PPAR-γ expression to induce potent anti-inflammatory activity in vivo and in vitro models of colon inflammation.

Thiamin is essential for normal function of pancreatic acinar cells, and its deficiency leads to a reduction in pancreatic digestive enzymes. We have recently shown that thiamin uptake by rat pancreatic acinar cells is carrier-mediated and that both thiamin transporter (THTR)-1 and THTR-2 are expressed in these cells; little, however, is known about the relative contribution of these transporters toward total carrier-mediated thiamin uptake by these cells. We addressed this issue using a gene-specific silencing approach (siRNA) in mouse-derived pancreatic acinar 266–6 cells and Slc19a2 and Slc19a3 knockout mouse models. First we established that thiamin uptake by mouse pancreatic acinar cells is via a carrier-mediated process. We also established that these cells as well as native human pancreas express THTR-1 and THTR-2, with expression of the former (and activity of its promoter) being significantly higher than that of the latter. Using gene-specific siRNA against mouse THTR-1 and THTR-2, we observed a significant inhibition in carrier-mediated thiamin uptake by 266–6 cells in both cases. Similarly, thiamin uptake by freshly isolated primary pancreatic acinar cells of the Slc19a2 and Slc19a3 knockout mice was significantly lower than uptake by acinar cells of the respective littermates; the degree of inhibition observed in the former knockout model was greater than that of the latter. These findings demonstrate, for the first time, that both mTHTR-1 and mTHTR-2 are involved in carrier-mediated thiamin uptake by pancreatic acinar cells.