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  3. Berberine ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium -induced colitis through tuft cells and bitter taste signalling

Berberine ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium -induced colitis through tuft cells and bitter taste signalling

  • BMC Biol. 2024 Dec 2;22(1):280. doi: 10.1186/s12915-024-02078-7.
Yuxuan Yang 1,  Wenqing Li 1,  Kaineng Sun 1,  Siyu Sun 1,  Yong Zhang 2,  Lin Chen 1,  Yangyue Ni 1,  Min Hou 1,  Zhipeng Xu 1,  Lu Chen 3 4,  Minjun Ji 5 6 7
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China.
  • 2 Department of Anesthesiology, Nanjing First Hospital, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210006, China.
  • 3 Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China. chenlu8911@njmu.edu.cn.
  • 4 Department of Key Laboratory for Infections and Control of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China. chenlu8911@njmu.edu.cn.
  • 5 Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China. jiminjun@njmu.edu.cn.
  • 6 Department of Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Antibody Drug, Nanjing, 211166, China. jiminjun@njmu.edu.cn.
  • 7 Department of Key Laboratory for Infections and Control of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China. jiminjun@njmu.edu.cn.
PMID: 39617924 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-02078-7
Abstract

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a persistent gastrointestinal disease, is featured with impaired gut immunity. Previous studies have demonstrated that tuft cells can regulate the intestinal type 2 immune response by activating downstream ILC2 and Th2 cells and repair gut barrier upon invasion of parasitic helminths, bacteria, protozoans, and enteritis through different chemo-sensing receptors, such as bitter taste receptors. Berberine is a widely used in the treatment of diarrhea in clinic, however the mechanism underlying this effect is not clear. In this study, we aim to explore the relationship between berberine and tuft cells in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) -induced colitis.

Results: Our data showed that berberine significantly ameliorated DSS-induced colitis and regulating type 2 innate immune lymphocytes (ILC2) and Th2 immune cells via tuft cells in the gut. Furthermore, the effect of berberine on colitis was partially abolished by U73122, a bitter Taste Receptor inhibitor, suggesting that bitter taste signalling pathway played an important role in the effect of berberine on relieving colitis.

Conclusions: Berberine ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium -induced colitis through tuft cells and bitter taste signalling. Our study reveals the unique pharmacological mechanisms of berberine in the context of colitis, laying the foundation for further clinical applications of this compound.

Keywords

Berberine; Bitter taste receptor; Inflammatory bowel disease; Tuft cell; Type 2 immune responses.

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