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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BHNRC) » Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center » Diet, Genomics and Immunology Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #238053

Title: Cinnamon extract regulates intestinal lipid metabolism related gene expression in primary enterocytes of rats

Author
item QIN, BOLIN - Integrity Neutraceuticals
item Polansky, Marilyn
item Anderson, Richard

Submitted to: BARC Poster Day
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/22/2008
Publication Date: 4/12/2009
Citation: Qin, B., Polansky, M.M., Anderson, R.A. 2009. Cinnamon extract regulates intestinal lipid metabolism related gene expression in primary enterocytes of rats. BARC Poster Day.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Emerging evidence suggests that the small intestine is not a passive organ, but is actively involved in the regulation of lipid absorption, intracellular transport, and metabolism, and is closely linked to systemic lipoprotein metabolism. We have reported previously that the water-soluble components of cinnamon extract (CE, Cinnulin PF®) improve whole-body insulin sensitivity and lipid metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a cinnamon extract on genes of the small intestine. Genes tested, using quantitative RT-PCR, were those involved in the insulin, inflammation, and cholesterol and lipoprotein pathways. Primary enterocytes isolated from chow-fed rats were incubated with CE (10 and 100µg/mL) for different times (0, 0.5, 2 and 4 h). Quantitative RT-PCR assays demonstrated that CE inhibits the mRNA expression of genes of the inflammatory pathway (IL1-ß, IL-6, and TNF-a); enhances those leading to increased insulin sensitivity (IR, IRS1, IRS2, PI3-K, and Akt1), inhibits those associated with elevated cholesterol, triglycerides, and apolipoprotein B48 levels (CD36, NPC1L1, ABCG5/8, SCARB1, PTEN, MTTP, and SREBP-1c), and facilitates ABCA1 expression, which associates with apolipoprotein-A1 to form nascent high density lipoproteins. These results demonstrate that CE leads to beneficial effects on genes associated with insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and lipid metabolism, not only in the muscle, liver, and adipose tissue, but also the small intestine. The small intestine appears to actively participate in improvements associated with the consumption of extracts of cinnamon and likely other nutrients and phytochemicals. (Funded by USDA/ARS and Integrity Nutraceuticals.)