Anti-inflammatory effects of an oxylipin-containing lyophilised biomass from a microalga in a murine recurrent colitis model

• Published in: British journal of nutrition 2016-12, Vol.116 (12), p.2044-2052
• Main Authors: Ávila-Román, Javier, Talero, Elena, Rodríguez-Luna, Azahara, García-Mauriño, Sofía, Motilva, Virginia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Animal Feed; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - administration & dosage; Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal - therapeutic use; Biomass; Body weight; Chlamydomonas; Chlamydomonas - chemistry; Colitis, Ulcerative - diet therapy; Colitis, Ulcerative - immunology; Colitis, Ulcerative - physiopathology; Colitis, Ulcerative - prevention & control; Colon - immunology; Colon - metabolism; Colon - pathology; Cytokines - antagonists & inhibitors; Cytokines - metabolism; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Disease Progression; Fatty acids; Female; Freeze Drying; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Gene Expression Regulation; Inflammatory bowel disease; Intestinal Mucosa - immunology; Intestinal Mucosa - metabolism; Intestinal Mucosa - pathology; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Microalgae; Microalgae - chemistry; Neutrophil Infiltration; Nitric oxide; Nutritional Immunology; Oxidation; Oxidative Stress; Oxylipins - administration & dosage; Oxylipins - therapeutic use; Secondary Prevention; Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid
• ISSN: 0007-1145; 1475-2662
• DOI: 10.1017/S0007114516004189

Diet and nutritional factors have emerged as possible interventions for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), which are characterised by chronic uncontrolled inflammation of the intestinal mucosa. Microalgal species are a promising source of n-3 PUFA and derived oxylipins, which are lipid mediators with a key role in the resolution of inflammation. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of an oxylipin-containing lyophilised biomass from Chlamydomonas debaryana on a recurrent 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis mice model. Moderate chronic inflammation of the colon was induced in BALB/c mice by weekly intracolonic instillations of low dose of TNBS. Administration of the lyophilised microalgal biomass started 2 weeks before colitis induction and was continued throughout colitis development. Mice were killed 48 h after the last TNBS challenge. Oral administration of the microalgal biomass reduced TNBS-induced intestinal inflammation, evidenced by an inhibition of body weight loss, an improvement in colon morphology and a decrease in pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-17. This product also down-regulated colonic expressions of inducible nitric oxide, cyclo-oxygenase 2 and NF-κB, as well as increased PPAR-γ. In addition, lyophilised microalgal biomass up-regulated the expressions of the antioxidant transcription factor nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 and the target gene heme oxygenase 1. This study describes for the first time the prophylactic effects of an oxylipin-containing lyophilised microalgae biomass from C. debaryana in the acute phase of a recurrent TNBS-induced colitis model in mice. These findings suggest the potential use of this microalga, or derived oxylipins, as a nutraceutical in the treatment of IBD.