Efeitos da tributirina sobre a permeabilidade intestinal em modelo murino de obesidade induzida por dieta

Abstract

Obesity comprises several metabolic disorders that, are associated with low-grade inflammation that contributes to the development and maintenance of the disease itself. The role of the intestine in the inflammation has been studied and this innovative hypothesis proposes an association between changes in intestinal barrier integrity and obesity. The short chain fatty acid, butyrate possesses various mechanisms that could improve the integrity of intestinal barrier. Tributyrin, a triglyceride with three butyrate molecules, has been used as a butyrate substitute since it less toxic and possesses pharmacokinetic advantages. Here, we evaluate the possible effects of tributyrin in intestinal permeability in a murine model of diet-induced obesity. Male C57BL mice were divided into two groups: Obese (OB), diet-induced obesity and another group receiving the same diet supplemented with 0.5% tributyrin (OB TBT), for 16 experimental weeks. We found that supplementation of tributyrin had no effect on weight gain or adiposity. The supplemented group, OB TBT, showed decreased intestinal permeability relative to the OB group. Moreover, we found na increased expression of ZO-1 protein measured in the ileum in the OB TBT group, there were no changes in the expression of occludin or the MLCK enzyme. The supplemented group presented decreased bacterial translocation in the liver, lung and spleen and no differences in terms of bacterial translocation in the lymph nodes. We can conclude that tributyrin supplementation improves intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation through a mechanism that involves increased expression of the tight junction protein ZO-1, which regulates the control and assembly of the intestinal barrier.