Berberine in the treatment of ulcerative colitis: A possible pathway through Tuft cells

Abstract

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disease with complex pathogenesis, which is affected by genetic factors, intestinal immune status and intestinal microbial homeostasis. Intestinal epithelial barrier defect is crucial to the development of UC. Berberine, extracted from Chinese medicine, can identify bitter taste receptor on intestinal Tuft cells and activate IL-25-ILC2-IL-13 immune pathway to impair damaged intestinal tract by promoting differentiation of intestinal stem cells, which might be a potential approach for the treatment of UC.

Keywords

• Berberine
• Ulcerative colitis
• Bitter taste receptor
• Tuft cell
• Intestinal stem cell