Biomaterial Database

Absorption enhancement through intracellular regulation of tight junction permeability by medium chain fatty acids in Caco-2 cells. 1998

T Lindmark, and Y Kimura, and P Artursson

Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Sweden.

Medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) are used to enhance the permeability of mucosal tissues to hydrophilic drugs, but their mechanism of action is largely unknown. In this study, the absorption-enhancing effects of the sodium salts of two MCFAs, capric acid (C10) and lauric acid (C12), were studied in monolayers of human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells. Both MCFAs induced a rapid increase in epithelial permeability to the hydrophilic marker molecule sodium fluorescein. Inhibition of phospholipase C and inhibition or activation of various kinases and buffering of intracellular calcium indicated that the effects on epithelial permeability were mediated through phospholipase C-dependent inositol triphosphate/diacylglycerol pathways. Surprisingly, the inositol triphosphate and diacylglycerol pathways were found to have opposing effects on paracellular permeability. Exposure to the MCFAs also resulted in a concentration dependent reduction of cellular dehydrogenase activity and ATP levels. C10, but not C12, induced redistribution of the tight junction proteins ZO-1 and occludin. These results indicate that the two MCFAs have partially different and more complex mechanisms than previously recognized, which has important implications for their use in vivo.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007408	Intestinal Absorption	Uptake of substances through the lining of the INTESTINES.	Absorption, Intestinal
D007850	Lauric Acids	12-Carbon saturated monocarboxylic acids.	Dodecanoic Acids,Acids, Dodecanoic,Acids, Lauric
D010539	Permeability	Property of membranes and other structures to permit passage of light, heat, gases, liquids, metabolites, and mineral ions.	Permeabilities
D002118	Calcium	A basic element found in nearly all tissues. It is a member of the alkaline earth family of metals with the atomic symbol Ca, atomic number 20, and atomic weight 40. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and combines with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate in the bones and teeth. It is essential for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles and plays a role in blood coagulation (as factor IV) and in many enzymatic processes.	Coagulation Factor IV,Factor IV,Blood Coagulation Factor IV,Calcium-40,Calcium 40,Factor IV, Coagulation
D003652	Decanoic Acids	10-carbon saturated monocarboxylic acids.	Capric Acids,Acids, Capric,Acids, Decanoic
D004075	Diglycerides	Glycerides composed of two fatty acids esterified to the trihydric alcohol GLYCEROL. There are two possible forms that exist: 1,2-diacylglycerols and 1,3-diacylglycerols.	Diacylglycerol,Diacylglycerols
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000255	Adenosine Triphosphate	An adenine nucleotide containing three phosphate groups esterified to the sugar moiety. In addition to its crucial roles in metabolism adenosine triphosphate is a neurotransmitter.	ATP,Adenosine Triphosphate, Calcium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Chromium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Magnesium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Manganese Salt,Adenylpyrophosphate,CaATP,CrATP,Manganese Adenosine Triphosphate,MgATP,MnATP,ATP-MgCl2,Adenosine Triphosphate, Chromium Ammonium Salt,Adenosine Triphosphate, Magnesium Chloride,Atriphos,Chromium Adenosine Triphosphate,Cr(H2O)4 ATP,Magnesium Adenosine Triphosphate,Striadyne,ATP MgCl2
D018938	Caco-2 Cells	Human colonic ADENOCARCINOMA cells that are able to express differentiation features characteristic of mature intestinal cells, such as ENTEROCYTES. These cells are valuable in vitro tools for studies related to intestinal cell function and differentiation.	Caco 2 Cells,Caco-2 Cell,Cell, Caco-2,Cells, Caco-2
D019108	Tight Junctions	Cell-cell junctions that seal adjacent epithelial cells together, preventing the passage of most dissolved molecules from one side of the epithelial sheet to the other. (Alberts et al., Molecular Biology of the Cell, 2nd ed, p22)	Occluding Junctions,Zonula Occludens,Junction, Occluding,Junction, Tight,Junctions, Occluding,Junctions, Tight,Occluden, Zonula,Occludens, Zonula,Occluding Junction,Tight Junction,Zonula Occluden