Biomedicines (Jul 2022)

Therapeutic Potential of Quercetin Loaded Nanoparticles: Novel Insights in Alleviating Colitis in an Experimental DSS Induced Colitis Model

  • Safaa I. Khater,
  • Marwa M. Lotfy,
  • Maher N. Alandiyjany,
  • Leena S. Alqahtani,
  • Asmaa W. Zaglool,
  • Fayez Althobaiti,
  • Tamer Ahmed Ismail,
  • Mohamed Mohamed Soliman,
  • Saydat Saad,
  • Doaa Ibrahim

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines10071654
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 10, no. 7
p. 1654

Abstract

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Oxidative stress is considered the main etiologic factor involved in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Integration of nanocarriers for natural therapeutic agents with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential is a novel promising candidate for curing IBD. Herein, the colonic antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of different concentrations of quercetin nanoparticles (QT-NPs) were evaluated using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Following colitis induction, the efficacy and mechanistic actions of QT-NPs were evaluated by assessing lesion severity, molecular aids controlling oxidative stress and inflammatory response, and histopathological and immunohistochemistry examination of colonic tissues. Administration of QT-NPs, especially at higher concentrations, significantly reduced the disease activity index and values of fecal calprotectin marker compared to the colitic group. Colonic oxidant/antioxidant status (ROS, H2O2, MDA, SOD, CAT, GPX and TAC) was restored after treatment with higher concentrations of QT-NPs. Moreover, QT-NPs at levels of 20 mg/kg and, to a lesser extent, 15 mg/kg reduced Nrf2 and HO-1 gene expression, which was in line with decreasing the expression of iNOS and COX2 in colonic tissues. Higher concentrations of QT-NPs greatly downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokines; upregulated genes encoding occludin, MUC-2 and JAM; and restored the healthy architectures of colonic tissues. Taken together, these data suggest that QT-NPs could be a promising alternative to current IBD treatments.

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