6,7,4′-Trihydroxyflavanone Protects Against Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis by Regulating the Activity of T Cells and Colon Cells In Vivo

• Main Authors: Hyun-Su Lee, Gil-Saeng Jeong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: 6,7,4′-trihydroxyflavanone; colitis; T cell activation; colon cells; NF-κB; MAPK
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/22/4/2083

Colitis is a multifactorial disorder that mostly occurs in the gastrointestinal tract. Despite improvements in mucosal inflammation research, little is known regarding the small bioactive molecules that are beneficial for regulating T cells and colon cell activity. 6,7,4′-trihydroxyflavanone (THF) is a flavanone that possesses anti-osteoclastogenesis activity and exerts protective effects against methamphetamine-induced immunotoxicity. Whether THF mitigates intestinal inflammation by regulating T cells and colon cell activity remains unknown. In the present study, Jurkat and HT-29 cells were used for in vitro experiments, and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model in mice was used for in vivo experiment. We observed that THF did not have a negative effect on the viability of Jurkat and HT-29 cells. Quantitative PCR and Western blot analysis revealed that THF regulates the activity of Jurkat cells and HT-29 cells via the NFκB and MAPK pathways under stimulated conditions. In the DSS-induced colitis model, oral administration of THF attenuated the manifestations of DSS-induced colitis, including a reduction in body weight, shrinkage of the colon, and enhanced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the colon and mesenteric lymph nodes. These data suggest that THF alleviates DSS-induced colitis by modulating the activity of T cells and colon cells in vivo.