Calcium glycerophosphate preserves transepithelial integrity in the Caco-2 model of intestinal transport

Aim: To assess the direct effects of ischemia on intestinal epithelial integrity. Furthermore, clinical efforts at mitigating the effect of hypoperfusion on gut permeability have focused on restoring gut vascular function.

Methods: We report that, in the Caco-2 cell model of transepithelial transport, calcium glycerophosphate (CGP), an inhibitor of intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase F3, has a significant effect to preserve transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and to attenuate increases in mannitol flux rates during hypoxia or cytokine stimulation.

Results: The effect was observable even at concentrations as low as 1 μmol/L. As celiac disease is also marked by a loss of gut epithelial integrity, the effect of CGP to attenuate the effect of the α-gliadin peptide 31-55 was also examined. In this instance, CGP exerted little effect of preservation of TEER, but significantly attenuated peptide induced increase in mannitol flux.

Conclusion: It appears that CGP treatment might synergize with other therapies to preserve gut epithelial integrity.