Disruption of intestinal epithelial tight junctions is an important event in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. Dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) induces colitis in mice with the symptoms similar to ulcerative colitis. However, the mechanism of DSS-induced colitis is unknown. We investigated the mechanism of DSS-induced disruption of intestinal epithelial tight junctions and barrier dysfunction in Caco-2 cell monolayers in vitro and mouse colon in vivo. DSS treatment resulted in disruption of tight junctions, adherens junctions and actin cytoskeleton leading to barrier dysfunction in Caco-2 cell monolayers. DSS induced a rapid activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and the inhibition or knockdown of JNK2 attenuated DSS-induced tight junction disruption and barrier dysfunction. In mice, DSS administration for 4 days caused redistribution of tight junction and adherens junction proteins from the epithelial junctions, which was blocked by JNK inhibitor. In Caco-2 cell monolayers, DSS increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration, and depletion of intracellular Ca2+ by BAPTA or thapsigargin attenuated DSS-induced JNK activation, tight junction disruption and barrier dysfunction. Knockdown of Ask1 or MKK7 blocked DSS-induced tight junction disruption and barrier dysfunction. DSS activated c-Src by a Ca2+ and JNK-dependent mechanism. Inhibition of Src kinase activity or knockdown of c-Src blocked DSS-induced tight junction disruption and barrier dysfunction. DSS increased Tyr-phosphorylation of occludin, ZO-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin. SP600125 abrogated DSS-induced Tyr-phosphorylation of junctional proteins. Recombinant JNK2 induced threonine phosphorylation and auto phosphorylation of c-Src. This study demonstrates that Ca2+-Ask1-MKK7-JNK2-cSrc signaling cascade mediates DSS-induced tight junction disruption and barrier dysfunction.

Background Disruption of epithelial tight junctions (TJ), gut barrier dysfunction and endotoxemia play crucial role in the pathogenesis of alcoholic tissue injury. Occludin, a transmembrane protein of TJ, is depleted in colon by alcohol. However, it is unknown whether occludin depletion influences alcoholic gut and liver injury. Methods Wild type (WT) and occludin deficient (Ocln−/−) mice were fed 1–6% ethanol in Lieber-DeCarli diet. Gut permeability was measured by vascular-to-luminal flux of FITC-inulin. Junctional integrity was analyzed by confocal microscopy. Liver injury was assessed by plasma transaminase, histopathology and triglyceride analyses. The effect of occludin depletion on acetaldehyde-induced TJ disruption was confirmed in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Results Ethanol feeding significantly reduced body weight gain in Ocln−/− mice. Ethanol increased inulin permeability in colon of both WT and Ocln−/− mice, but the effect was 4-fold higher in Ocln−/− mice. The gross morphology of colonic mucosa was unaltered, but ethanol disrupted the actin cytoskeleton, induced redistribution of occludin, ZO-1, E-cadherin and β-catenin from the junctions and elevated TLR4, which was more severe in Ocln−/− mice. Occludin knockdown significantly enhanced acetaldehyde-induced TJ disruption and barrier dysfunction in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Ethanol significantly increased liver weight and plasma transaminase activity in Ocln−/− mice, but not in WT mice. Histological analysis indicated more severe lesions and fat deposition in the liver of ethanol-fed Ocln−/− mice. Ethanol-induced elevation of liver triglyceride was also higher in Ocln−/− mice. Conclusion This study indicates that occludin deficiency increases susceptibility to ethanol-induced colonic mucosal barrier dysfunction and liver damage in mice.

Acetaldehyde is accumulated at high concentrations in the colonic lumen following ethanol administration. Previous studies demonstrated that acetaldehyde disrupts intestinal epithelial tight junctions and increases paracellular permeability. In the present study, we investigated the role of PP2A in the acetaldehyde-induced disruption of intestinal epithelial tight junctions. Caco-2 cell monolayers were exposed to 200-600 μM acetaldehyde for varying times, and the epithelial barrier function was evaluated by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance and inulin permeability. Acetaldehyde treatment resulted in a time-dependent increase in inulin permeability and redistribution of occludin and ZO-1 from the intercellular junctions. Treatment of cells with fostriecin (a PP2A-selective inhibitor) or knockdown of PP2A by siRNA blocked acetaldehyde-induced increase in inulin permeability and redistribution of occludin and ZO-1. The effects of fostriecin and acetaldehyde were confirmed in mouse intestine ex vivo. Acetaldehyde-induced tight junction disruption and barrier dysfunction were also attenuated by a PP2A-specific inhibitory peptide, TPDYFL. Coimmunoprecipitation studies showed that acetaldehyde increased the interaction of PP2A with occludin and induced dephosphorylation of occludin on threonine residues. Fostriecin and TPDYFL significantly reduced acetaldehyde-induced threonine dephosphorylation of occludin. Acetaldehyde failed to change the level of the methylated form of PP2A-C subunit. However, genistein (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor) blocked acetaldehyde-induced association of PP2A with occludin and threonine dephosphorylation of occludin. These results demonstrate that acetaldehyde-induced disruption of tight junctions is mediated by PP2A translocation to tight junctions and dephosphorylation of occludin on threonine residues.

Previous in vitro studies showed that glutamine (Gln) prevents acetaldehyde-induced disruption of tight junctions and adherens junctions in Caco-2 cell monolayers and human colonic mucosa. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of Gln supplementation on ethanol-induced gut barrier dysfunction and liver injury in mice in vivo. Ethanol feeding caused a significant increase in inulin permeability in distal colon. Elevated permeability was associated with a redistribution of tight junction and adherens junction proteins and depletion of detergent-insoluble fractions of these proteins, suggesting that ethanol disrupts apical junctional complexes in colonic epithelium and increases paracellular permeability. Ethanol-induced increase in colonic mucosal permeability and disruption of junctional complexes were most severe in mice fed Gln-free diet. Gln supplementation attenuated ethanol-induced mucosal permeability and disruption of tight junctions and adherens junctions in a dose-dependent manner, indicating the potential role of glutamine in nutritional intervention to alcoholic tissue injury. Gln supplementation dose-dependently elevated reduced-protein thiols in colon without affecting the level of oxidized-protein thiols. Ethanol feeding depleted reduced protein thiols and elevated oxidized protein thiols. Ethanol-induced protein thiol oxidation was most severe in mice fed Gln-free diet and absent in mice fed Gln-supplemented diet, suggesting that antioxidant effect is one of the likely mechanisms involved in Gln-mediated amelioration of ethanol-induced gut barrier dysfunction. Ethanol feeding elevated plasma transaminase and liver triglyceride, which was accompanied by histopathologic lesions in the liver; ethanol-induced liver damage was attenuated by Gln supplementation. These results indicate that Gln supplementation ameliorates alcohol-induced gut and liver injury.

Background Acetaldehyde, the toxic ethanol metabolite, disrupts intestinal epithelial barrier function. Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) detoxifies acetaldehyde into acetate. Sub populations of Asians and Native Americans show polymorphism with loss of function mutations in ALDH2. We evaluated the effect of ALDH2 deficiency on ethanol-induced disruption of intestinal epithelial tight junctions and adherens junctions, gut barrier dysfunction and liver injury. Methods Wild type and ALDH2 deficient mice were fed (1–6%) in Lieber-DeCarli diet for 4 weeks. Gut permeability in vivo measured by plasma-to-luminal flux of FITC-inulin, tight junction and adherens junction integrity analyzed by confocal microscopy and liver injury was assessed by analysis of plasma transaminase activity, histopathology and liver triglyceride. Results Ethanol feeding elevated colonic mucosal acetaldehyde, which was significantly greater in ALDH2 deficient mice. ALDH2−/− mice showed a drastic reduction in the ethanol diet intake. Therefore, this study was continued only in wild type and ALDH2+/− mice. Ethanol feeding elevated mucosal inulin permeability in distal colon, but not in proximal colon, ileum or jejunum of wild type mice. In ALDH2+/− mice, ethanol-induced inulin permeability in distal colon was not only higher than that in wild type mice, but inulin permeability was also elevated in the proximal colon, ileum and jejunum. Greater inulin permeability in distal colon of ALDH2+/− mice was associated with a more severe redistribution of tight junction and adherens junction proteins from the intercellular junctions. In ALDH2+/− mice, but not in wild type mice, ethanol feeding caused a loss of junctional distribution of tight junction and adherens junction proteins in the ileum. Histopathology, plasma transaminases and liver triglyceride analyses showed that ethanol-induced liver damage was significantly greater in ALDH2+/− mice compared to wild type mice. Conclusion These data demonstrate that ALDH2 deficiency enhances ethanol-induced disruption of intestinal epithelial tight junctions, barrier dysfunction and liver damage.