Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica (iBET), Av. República, Qta. Marquês, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal.
CEDOC, Chronic Diseases Research Centre, NOVA Medical School, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas, Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, 130, 1169-056 Lisboa, Portugal.
Nutrients. 2020 Nov 19;12(11):3547. doi: 10.3390/nu12113547.
L. has recently gained major attention due to large quantities of health-promoting compounds in its roots, such as inulin and sesquiterpene lactones (SLs). Chicory is the main dietary source of SLs, which have underexplored bioactive potential. In this study, we assessed the capacity of SLs to permeate the intestinal barrier to become physiologically available, using in silico predictions and in vitro studies with the well-established cell model of the human intestinal mucosa (differentiated Caco-2 cells). The potential of SLs to modulate inflammatory responses through modulation of the nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) pathway was also evaluated, using a yeast reporter system. Lactucopicrin was revealed as the most permeable chicory SL in the intestinal barrier model, but it had low anti-inflammatory potential. The SL with the highest anti-inflammatory potential was 11β,13-dihydrolactucin, which inhibited up to 54% of Calcineurin-responsive zinc finger (Crz1) activation, concomitantly with the impairment of the nuclear accumulation of Crz1, the yeast orthologue of human NFAT.
菊苣根中含有大量具有促进健康作用的化合物，如菊糖和倍半萜内酯（SLs），因此最近受到了广泛关注。菊苣是 SLs 的主要膳食来源，但其具有探索潜力的生物活性尚未得到充分研究。在这项研究中，我们使用计算机预测和具有人肠黏膜（分化的 Caco-2 细胞）的成熟细胞模型的体外研究，评估了 SLs 穿透肠屏障并在生理上可用的能力。我们还使用酵母报告系统评估了 SLs 通过调节活化 T 细胞核因子（NFAT）途径来调节炎症反应的潜力。在肠道屏障模型中，发现乳苣脂素是最具渗透性的菊苣 SL，但抗炎潜力较低。具有最高抗炎潜力的 SL 是 11β,13-二氢乳苣脂素，它可抑制高达 54%的钙调神经磷酸酶应答锌指（Crz1）激活，同时损害 Crz1 的核积累，Crz1 是人类 NFAT 的酵母同源物。
