Ileal mucus viscoelastic properties differ in Crohn’s disease

Abstract

Crohns disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that can affect any part of the gastrointestinal tract, frequently involving the terminal ileum. While colonic mucus alterations in CD patients have been described, terminal ileal mucus and its mechanobiological properties have been neglected. Our study is the first of its kind to decipher the viscoelastic and network properties of ileal mucus. With that aim, oscillatory rheological shear measurements based on an airway mucus protocol that was thoroughly validated for ileal mucus were performed. Our pilot study analyzed terminal ileum mucus from controls (n=11) and CD patients (n=11). Mucus network structure was visualized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Interestingly, a statistically significant increase in viscoelasticity as well as a decrease in mesh size was observed in ileal mucus from CD patients compared to controls. Furthermore, rheological data were analyzed in relation to study participants clinical characteristics, such as inflammatory status, revealing noteworthy trends. In conclusion, this study provides the first data on the viscoelastic properties and structure of human ileal mucus in the healthy state and in CD, demonstrating significant alterations between groups and highlighting the need for further research on mucus and its effect on the underlying epithelial barrier.

Hydrogel-Integrated Millifluidic Systems: Advancing the Fabrication of Mucus-Producing Human Intestinal Models

“…Despite critically contributing to the first line of defense in the intestinal lumen, the precise functions of the mucus layer in health and disease are not yet fully understood [4]. The challenges of accessing [5,6], processing, and preserving intestinal mucus [7], along with the variability between and within organs [8], impede systematic investigation and controlled modulation. In vitro intestinal models offer a promising avenue for addressing these challenges, provided they accurately replicate the composition and properties of human intestinal mucus, particularly health-and disease-specific features.…”