Chitosan enhances transcellular permeability in human and rat intestine epithelium

Abstract

The intestinal epithelium regulates the transit of molecules from and into the organism. Several agentsact as absorption enhancers inducing changes in both transcellular and paracellular routes. Chitosan isa non-toxic biocompatible polysaccharide widely used as dietary supplement and mucosal delivery.Chitosan triggers both the activation of intestinal epithelial cells and the release of regulatory factors relevantfor its immunomodulatory activity. Yet, the interaction of chitosan with intestinal epithelial cells ispoorly characterized. We studied the uptake of this polysaccharide, and we evaluated its effects in boththe net water and ion movements across human and rat colon samples and the epithelial permeability.Herein, we demonstrate that chitosan increases the transcellular permeability to ions, water and proteinmarkers in human and rat intestinal mucosa and decreases the water permeability across the paracellularpathway. These findings are relevant to understand the activity of the polysaccharide in the mucosalenvironment.