title: Influence of thiol balance on micellar cholesterol handling by polarized Caco-2 intestinal cells.
abstract: The in vitro thiol redox modulation of cholesterol homeostasis was investigated in polarized Caco-2 intestinal cells. Cells were pre-incubated with the pro-oxidant compound CuSO4 or with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC), to induce a mild shift of the intracellular redox potential toward, respectively, a more oxidizing or a more reducing equilibrium, via a manipulation of intracellular soluble thiols (glutathione). Then, monolayers were exposed to micellar cholesterol and both the cholesterol uptake and export, as well as the cholesteryl ester cycle, were analyzed. We found that pro-oxidizing conditions induced a significant cholesterol retention within the cells, particularly in the unesterified form (FC), as a result of an augmented sterol incorporation coupled with a reduced rate of FC esterification. A reduction in FC export was also evident. Furthermore, the combination of FC retention and the oxidative imbalance leads to significant alterations of the monolayer integrity, evidenced by both the enhanced tight junction permeability and the lactate dehydrogenase release into the basolateral medium. In contrast, a more reducing environment generated by NAC pre-treatment favors the limitation of the resident time of FC into the cells, via a reduced cholesterol uptake and a concomitant increased cholesterol esterification. In addition, a significant higher FC extrusion into the basolateral medium was also appreciable. Our results indicate that the thiol balance of intestinal cells may be critical for the regulation of cholesterol homeostasis at the intestinal level, influencing the lipid transport throughout the intestinal barrier.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Metabolism and Pathological Biochemistry, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariarosaria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Napolitano
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rainaldi
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bravo
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rivabene
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D018938:Caco-2 Cells; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D016764:Cell Polarity; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism*; D002788:Cholesterol Esters / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008823:Micelles; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002788:Cholesterol Esters; D008823:Micelles; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D002784:Cholesterol; D005978:Glutathione