Role of the intestinal tight junction modulator zonulin in the pathogenesis of type I diabetes in BB diabetic-prone rats

Tammara Watts, Irene Berti, Anna Sapone, Tania Gerarduzzi, Tarcisio Not, Ronald Zielke, Alessio Fasano

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

265 Scopus citations

Abstract

Increased intestinal permeability has been observed in numerous human autoimmune diseases, including type-1 diabetes (T1D) and its' animal model, the BB-wor diabetic prone rat. We have recently described zonulin, a protein that regulates intercellular tight junctions. The objective of this study was to establish whether zonulin-dependent increased intestinal permeability plays a role in the pathogenesis of T1D. In the BB diabetic-prone rat model of T1D, intestinal intraluminal zonulin levels were elevated 35-fold compared to control BB diabetic-resistant rats. Zonulin up-regulation was coincident with decreased small intestinal transepithelial electrical resistance, and was followed by the production of autoantibodies against pancreatic beta cells, which preceded the onset of clinically evident T1D by ≈25 days. In those diabetic prone rats that did not progress to diabetes, both intraluminal zonulin and transepithelial electrical resistance were similar to those detected in diabetic-resistant animal controls. Blockade of the zonulin receptor reduced the cumulative incidence of T1D by 70%, despite the persistence of intraluminal zonulin up-regulation. Moreover, treatment responders did not seroconvert to islet cell antibodies. Combined together, these findings suggest that the zonulin-induced loss in small intestinal barrier function is involved in the pathogenesis of T1D in the BB diabetic-prone animal model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2916-2921
Number of pages6
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume102
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 22 2005
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Autoimmunity
  • Intestinal permeability
  • Non-self antigens
  • Ussing chambers

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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