In this study, the underlying mechanisms of the potential anti-inflammatory properties of allyl-isothiocyanate (AITC) were analysed in vitro and in vivo. Murine RAW264.7 macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were supplemented with increasing concentrations of AITC. In addition, C57BL/6 mice (n= 10 per group) were fed a pro-inflammatory high-fat diet and AITC was administered orally via gavage for 7 days. Biomarkers of inflammation were determined both in cultured cells and in mice. AITC significantly decreased tumour necrosis factor α mRNA levels and its secretion in LPS stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages. Furthermore, gene expression of other pro-inflammatory markers including interleukin-1β and inducible nitric oxide synthase were down-regulated following AITC treatment. AITC decreased nuclear p65 protein levels, a subunit of the transcription factor NF-κB. Importantly, our data indicate that AITC significantly attenuated microRNA-155 levels in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. The anti-inflammatory effects of AITC were accompanied by an increase in Nrf2 nuclear translocation and consequently by an increase of mRNA and protein levels of the Nrf2 target gene heme-oxygenase 1. AITC was slightly less potent than sulforaphane (used as a positive control) in down-regulating inflammation in LPS-stimulated macrophages. A significant increase in nuclear Nrf2 and heme-oxygenase 1 gene expression and only a moderate down-regulation of interleukin-1β and microRNA-155 levels due to AITC was found in mouse liver. Present data suggest that AITC exhibits potent anti-inflammatory activity in cultured macrophages in vitro but has only little anti-inflammatory activity in mice in vivo.

Apical administration of an ionophore, nystatin, and basolateral depolarization by K+ were used to investigate the regulation of apical and basolateral electrogenic transport pathways for K+ in the rat proximal and distal colon. Administration of nystatin (100 μg ml−1 at the mucosal side), in the presence of Na+ and in the presence of a serosally directed K+ gradient, stimulate a large increase in short‐circuit current (ISC) and tissue conductance in both colonic segments. This response was composed of a pump current generated by the Na+‐K+‐ATPase and of a current across a quinine‐sensitive basolateral K+ conductance. The pump current, measured as Na+‐dependent or scilliroside‐sensitive current in the absence of a K+ gradient, was significantly greater in the distal than in the proximal colon. The pump current was unaltered by pretreatment of the tissue with forskolin (5×10−6 mol l−1). The current across the basolateral K+ conductance, measured as current in the presence of a serosally directed K+ gradient either in the absence of Na+ or in the presence of scilliroside, was increased by the cholinoreceptor agonist, carbachol (5×10−5 mol l−1), but inhibited by forskolin (5×10−6 mol l−1). Basolateral K+ depolarization induced a negative ISC in both colonic segments, which was inhibited by the K+ channel blocker quinine (10−3 mol l−1 at the mucosal side), but was resistant to tetraethylammonium (5×10−3 mol l−1 at the mucosal side). This K+ current across an apical K+ conductance was stimulated in both colonic segments by carbachol, whereas forskolin had no effect, although control experiments revealed that forskolin was still able to open an apical Cl− conductance under these conditions. These results demonstrate that an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration induced by carbachol causes an increase in the basolateral and the apical K+ conductance, thereby inducing K+ secretion in parallel with an indirect support for Cl− secretion due to the hyperpolarization of the cell membrane. In contrast, the dominating effect of an increase in the intracellular cyclic AMP concentration is inhibition of a basolateral K+ conductance; a mechanism which might contribute to the inhibition of K+ absorption. British Journal of Pharmacology (1997) 122, 87–94; doi:

The effect of epinephrine on transport of K+, Na+, Cl−, and[Formula: see text] across the rat colon was studied using the Ussing chamber technique. Epinephrine (5 × 10−6 mol/l) induced a biphasic change in short-circuit current ( I sc) in distal and proximal colon: a transient increase followed by a long-lasting decay. The first phase of the I sc response was abolished in Cl−-poor solution or after bumetanide administration, indicating a transient induction of Cl− secretion. The second phase of the response to epinephrine was suppressed by apical administration of the K+channel blocker, quinine, and was concomitant with an increase in serosal-to-mucosal Rb+ flux, indicating that epinephrine induced K+ secretion, although this response was much smaller than the change in I sc. In addition, the distal colon displayed a decrease in mucosal-to-serosal and serosal-to-mucosal Cl−fluxes when treated with epinephrine. In the distal colon, indomethacin abolished the first phase of the epinephrine effect, whereas the second phase was suppressed by TTX. In the proximal colon, indomethacin and TTX were ineffective. The neuronally mediated response to epinephrine in the distal colon was suppressed by the nonselective β-receptor blocker, propranolol, and by the β2-selective blocker, ICI-118551, whereas the epithelial response in the proximal colon was suppressed by the nonselective α-blocker, phentolamine, and by the selective α2-blocker, yohimbine. These results indicate a segment-specific action of epinephrine on ion transport: a direct stimulatory action on epithelial α2-receptors in the proximal colon and an indirect action on secretomotoneurons via β2-receptors in the distal colon.

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