Surfactants Enhance the Tight-Junction Permeability of Food Allergens in Human Intestinal Epithelial Caco-2 Cells

Abstract

Background: Food additives are responsible for certain allergic types of symptoms. Here Caco-2 cell monolayers were used as a model of the intestinal epithelium for the study of the effect of a food grade surfactant. We determined whether or not the presence of a surfactant enhances the transportation of food allergens across human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells. Methods: This study investigated sucrose monoester fatty acids, which are a food grade surfactant. As an in vitro model of human epithelial cells, Caco-2 cells were grown in monolayers and exposed to different doses of the surfactant in conjunction with ovomucoid, a major egg white allergen. The integrity of the monolayer was assessed by measuring transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER). The permeability of tight junctions and transport of the antigen were studied. Results: TEER correlated with the permeability of tight junctions. TEER significantly decreased upon exposure to a surfactant, indicating anincrease in ovomucoid permeability without degradation. The surfactant induced shortening in microvilli, actin disbandmentand structural separation of tight junctions. The results indicate that food grade surfactants can increase the paracellular uptake of food allergens.

Effects of absorption enhancer surfactants on culture models of intestinal and vascular barriers

“…Resistance of Caco-2 cell layers also dropped after treatment with sucrose esters in another study. 45 Reference surfactants did not change TEER of Caco-2 monolayers in the present experiments, our previous works, 6 and in two independent studies, 56,57 indicating no effect on ion permeability through TJs. The resistance and impedance measurements suggest that sucrose esters enhance ion permeability through paracellular and transcellular pathways (Fig.…”

“…4 Cytoskeletal F-actin changes caused by an undefined sucrose ester were also observed in Caco-2 cells. 45 Surfactants did not change the morphology of TJs investigated by electron microscopy. No disruption of junctions or cell layers were observed by these morphological examinations, confirming the safety of the selected surfactant concentrations and that sucrose esters do not cause visible damage of intercellular junctions.…”

“…The same results were obtained by these sucrose esters in our previous works on Caco-2 intestinal 44 and on RPMI 2650 human nasal epithelial cell lines. 34 The same range of nontoxic concentrations were described for an unspecified sucrose monoester in Caco-2 cells, 45 and for sucrose laurate, Tween 80, and Cremophor RH40 on MDCK dog kidney cells and two MDCK-derived cell lines. 24 In our previous study on Cremophor RH40 and EL, similar toxicity results were obtained on intestinal epithelial and brain endothelial cells.…”

Annual report of the Emerging Risks Exchange Network 2014

“…Numerous synthetic surfactant food additives were shown to increase intestinal permeability in a number of ways and are used in pharmaceutics as absorption enhancers as well (Csáki, 2011). Surfactants are effective absorption enhancers at very low concentrations (Mine, 2003;Roberts, 2010), namely the current ADI values are far higher than the effective doses as absorption enhancers in pharmaceutical applications.…”

“…Recently a growing number of scientific studies indicate a causal association between surfactant emulsifier consumption and the development of allergic, inflammatory and autoimmune diseases by increasing intestinal permeability (Csáki, 2011;Mine, 2003;Roberts, 2010;Roberts, 2013). The incidences of diseases related to impaired intestinal barrier function has increased over the past fifty years in developed countries (Hermann, 2003;Rubio-Tapia, 2009) parallel with the excessive use of food emulsifier additives (Csáki, 2011;Roberts, 2013).…”