Gastrointestinal infections are considered a serious public health problem in view of their high incidence and the increasing antibiotic resistance of the microorganisms involved in their pathogenesis, namely Escherichia coli. Consequently, finding new ways to prevent and/or threat these infections is urgent. In this study we investigated whether a well-characterised polyphenolic red wine extract is able to inhibit the cytotoxic effects induced by a clinical pathogenic Escherichia coli strain (E. coli 270) against HT-29 colon epithelial cells. Firstly, we provide evidences showing that the E. coli strain triggered the death of the intestinal epithelial cells through the production and release of a toxin. Then we support that, in a concentration dependent way, RWE through both, a direct interaction with bacterial exotoxin and the epithelial cells, prevented the action of the toxin on the cells, significantly reducing cell death. This intends to constitute a position paper as detailed mechanisms for the inhibition of E. coli-induced toxicity by polyphenols are yet to be completely unraveled. However, considering that the amount of red wine polyphenols used can be easily achieved in a normal diet, this study suggests that RWE may provide a readily available dietary product with potential benefit for the prevention and/or treatment of intestinal infections induced by intestinal pathogenic bacteria and may open new therapeutic avenues for the development of potential natural antimicrobial agents.
Keywords: Escherichia coli; Gastrointestinal infections; Polyphenols; Red wine extract; gut.
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