BMC Biology (Dec 2022)

Berberine increases stromal production of Wnt molecules and activates Lgr5+ stem cells to promote epithelial restitution in experimental colitis

  • Zecheng Luo,
  • Zihao Li,
  • Zheng Liang,
  • Lin Wang,
  • Guanlin He,
  • Dongdi Wang,
  • Lei Shen,
  • Zhengting Wang,
  • Xiuying Ma,
  • Funeng Geng,
  • Haozhong Wang,
  • Wenping Liu,
  • Huijuan Liu,
  • Baojie Li

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12915-022-01492-z
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 20, no. 1
pp. 1 – 19

Abstract

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Abstract Background Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) are characterized by sustained inflammation and/or ulcers along the lower digestive tract, and have complications such as colorectal cancer and inflammation in other organs. The current treatments for IBDs, which affect 0.3% of the global population, mainly target immune cells and inflammatory cytokines with a success rate of less than 40%. Results Here we show that berberine, a natural plant product, is more effective than the frontline drug sulfasalazine in treating DSS (dextran sulfate sodium)-induced colitis in mice, and that berberine not only suppresses macrophage and granulocyte activation but also promotes epithelial restitution by activating Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells (ISCs). Mechanistically, berberine increases the expression of Wnt genes in resident mesenchymal stromal cells, an ISC niche, and inhibiting Wnt secretion diminishes the therapeutic effects of berberine. We further show that berberine controls the expression of many circadian rhythm genes in stromal cells, which in turn regulate the expression of Wnt molecules. Conclusions Our findings suggest that berberine acts on the resident stromal cells and ISCs to promote epithelial repair in experimental colitis and that Wnt-β-Catenin signaling may be a potential target for colitis treatment.

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