title: Signals elicited at the intestinal epithelium upon chitosan feeding contribute to immunomodulatory activity and biocompatibility of the polysaccharide.
abstract: Chitosan is a copolymer of N-acetylglucosamine and glucosamine derived from chitin with several applications in pharmaceutical and medical fields. This polysaccharide exhibits adjuvant properties in mucosal immune responses of humans, rats and mice. Characterization of signals elicited by chitosan at the intestinal epithelium could explain its immunomodulatory activity and biocompatibility. We fed normal rats with single doses of chitosan and 16h later, we purified intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) to assess immune and biochemical parameters. Following chitosan administration, mRNA expression and release of several cytokines and chemokines increased, injury markers maintained constitutive levels and MHC type II molecule expression was augmented. IEC supernatants showed higher levels of IL-10, IL-6 and TGF-beta. Arginase activity of IECs increased upon chitosan interaction in vivo and in vitro. Together, after chitosan feeding, mild activation of IECs occurs in vivo, with production of regulatory factors that could be relevant for its biocompatibility and immunomodulatory effects.
authors.affiliation: Immunology, Center of Research in Biochemistry and Immunology (CIBICI) (National Council of Research in Science and Technology (CONICET), Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences, National University of Cordoba, Cordoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: M Magdalena
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Canali
authors.forename: Carina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Porporatto
authors.forename: M Pilar
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Ismael D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Bianco
authors.forename: Silvia G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Correa
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001119:Arginase / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D018925:Chemokines / Q000276:immunology; D048271:Chitosan / Q000276:immunology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D056747:Immunomodulation; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10; D048271:Chitosan; D001119:Arginase