Gelatin tannate reduces the proinflammatory effects of lipopolysaccharide in human intestinal epithelial cells.
BACKGROUND
Gelatin tannate is a mixture of tannic acid and gelatin. Tannic acid has astringent properties, due to its capacity to form protein-macromolecular complexes, as well as antibacterial and antioxidant properties. However, little is known about its anti-inflammatory properties.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the anti-inflammatory activity of gelatin tannate by quantifying the suppression of key molecules produced during inflammatory events in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated human intestinal cells.


METHODS
Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression was determined by Western blot analysis; interleukin-8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in Caco-2 cells 24 hours after treatment with LPS (1 μg/mL) in presence of different concentrations of gelatin tannate.


RESULTS
ICAM-1 is induced on a wide variety of cells by inflammatory stimuli such as LPS. Our results have shown gelatin tannate as a potent inhibitor of ICAM-1 expression in LPS-stimulated Caco-2 cells. IL-8 and TNF-α are important inflammatory mediators, recruiting neutrophils and T-lymphocytes. Together with LPS, adding gelatin tannate at different concentrations induced a dose-dependent inhibition of IL-8 and TNF-α released by Caco-2 cells.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that gelatin tannate exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting the specific cytokines and adhesion molecules involved in several inflammatory disorders.
Department of Biomedical Sciences (Physiology), University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
Giuseppina
G
Frasca
Venera
V
Cardile
Carmelo
C
Puglia
Claudia
C
Bonina
Francesco
F
Bonina