Transcriptional signatures of the small intestinal mucosa in response to ethanol in transgenic mice rich in endogenous n3 fatty acids

Sci Rep. 2020 Nov 16;10(1):19930. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-76959-6.

Abstract

The intestine interacts with many factors, including dietary components and ethanol (EtOH), which can impact intestinal health. Previous studies showed that different types of dietary fats can modulate EtOH-induced changes in the intestine; however, mechanisms underlying these effects are not completely understood. Here, we examined intestinal transcriptional responses to EtOH in WT and transgenic fat-1 mice (which endogenously convert n6 to n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids [PUFAs]) to identify novel genes and pathways involved in EtOH-associated gut pathology and discern the impact of n3 PUFA enrichment. WT and fat-1 mice were chronically fed EtOH, and ileum RNA-seq and bioinformatic analyses were performed. EtOH consumption led to a marked down-regulation of genes encoding digestive and xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, and transcription factors involved in developmental processes and tissue regeneration. Compared to WT, fat-1 mice exhibited a markedly plastic transcriptome response to EtOH. Cell death, inflammation, and tuft cell markers were downregulated in fat-1 mice in response to EtOH, while defense responses and PPAR signaling were upregulated. This transcriptional reprogramming may contribute to the beneficial effects of n3 PUFAs on EtOH-induced intestinal pathology. In summary, our study provides a reference dataset of the intestinal mucosa transcriptional responses to chronic EtOH exposure for future hypothesis-driven mechanistic studies.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cadherins / physiology*
  • Dietary Fats / administration & dosage*
  • Ethanol / pharmacology*
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / metabolism*
  • Gene Expression Profiling*
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects*
  • Intestinal Mucosa / drug effects
  • Intestinal Mucosa / growth & development
  • Intestinal Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Transgenic

Substances

  • Cadherins
  • Dietary Fats
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-3
  • fat1 protein, mouse
  • Ethanol