title: Intestinal barrier analysis by assessment of mucins, tight junctions, and α-defensins in healthy C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice.
abstract: The intestinal barrier is gaining increasing attention because it is related to intestinal homeostasis and disease. Different parameters have been used in the past to assess intestinal barrier functions in experimental studies; however most of them are poorly defined in healthy mice. Here, we compared a number of barrier markers in healthy mice, established normal values and correlations. In 48 mice (24 C57BL/6J, 24 BALB/cJ background), we measured mucus thickness, and expression of mucin-2, α-defensin-1 and -4, zonula occludens-1, occludin, junctional adhesion molecule-A, claudin-1, 2 and -5. We also analyzed claudin-3 and fatty acid binding protein-2 in urine and plasma, respectively. A higher expression of mucin-2 protein was found in the colon compared to the ileum. In contrast, the α-defensins-1 and -4 were expressed almost exclusively in the ileum. The protein expression of the tight junction molecules claudin-1, occludin and zonula occludens-1 did not differ between colon and ileum, although some differences occurred at the mRNA level. No age- or gender-related differences were found. Differences between C57BL/6J and BALB/cJ mice were found for α-defensin-1 and -4 mRNA expression, and for urine and plasma marker concentrations. The α-defensin-1 mRNA correlated with claudin-5 mRNA, whereas α-defensin-4 mRNA correlated with claudin-3 concentrations in urine. In conclusion, we identified a number of murine intestinal barrier markers requiring tissue analyses or measurable in urine or plasma. We provide normal values for these markers in mice of different genetic background. Such data might be helpful for future animal studies in which the intestinal barrier is of interest.
authors: Department of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Valentina
authors: V
authors: Volynets
authors: Department of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Andreas
authors: A
authors: Rings
authors: Department of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Gyöngyi
authors: G
authors: Bárdos
authors: University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus , Denver, CO, USA.
authors: Maureen J
authors: MJ
authors: Ostaff
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Tübingen , Tübingen, Germany.
authors: Jan
authors: J
authors: Wehkamp
authors: Department of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim , Stuttgart, Germany.
authors: Stephan C
authors: SC
authors: Bischoff
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002199:Capillary Permeability; D003106:Colon / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D005260:Female; D007082:Ileum / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009077:Mucins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D062725:Tight Junction Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D023084:alpha-Defensins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D009077:Mucins; D062725:Tight Junction Proteins; D023084:alpha-Defensins
keywords: claudin; fatty acid binding protein; mucus; occludin; permeability