Resveratrol and wheat gluten celiac damage in cells and mice
What it found
In lab tests on cells and in mice, resveratrol reduced the intestinal damage and inflammation caused by wheat gluten.
The work was done in cells and animals, not in people.
What they found
Animal and lab studies
Oxidative stress in cells
In Caco-2 cells, resveratrol restored levels of GSH, SOD and MDA that had been changed by the gluten peptide. It also reduced reactive oxygen species by 46% compared with control.
Inflammation in cells
Resveratrol lowered the gluten peptide's increase in TG2 protein and reduced iNOS and COX-2 gene expression. It also helped maintain the tight junction protein occludin.
Symptoms in mice
Mice with celiac-like disease given resveratrol gained more weight and had fewer tremors and scratches than untreated mice. Water consumption differed only on day 3.
Oxidative damage in mice
Resveratrol lowered NO and MDA and raised GSH and SOD in the jejunum of mice with celiac-like disease. Intestinal villi damage was less severe.
Immune response in mice
Resveratrol reduced the Th1/Th2 ratio in mesenteric lymph nodes and lowered IL-1beta and TNF-alpha while raising IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10. It also reduced TG2 content in the jejunum.
Genes and pathways
Resveratrol increased Aire and Ubd genes and decreased Fgf15 and Nr0b2 genes in mouse intestine. It also affected PPAR, AMPK and FoxO signaling pathways.
What the authors conclude
“Resveratrol contributed to regulate development of autoimmunity through up-regulation of Aire and Ubd genes and promote nutrient absorption in intestine through down-regulation of Fgf15 and Nr0b2 genes, as well as played a role in regulating complex response system of oxidative stress, inflammatory response and immune response in intestine by activating PPAR, AMPK and FoxO signaling pathways, thus effectively alleviating the intestinal symptoms of celiac disease.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say resveratrol regulates autoimmunity by increasing Aire and Ubd genes and promotes nutrient absorption by decreasing Fgf15 and Nr0b2 genes.
- They conclude that resveratrol activates PPAR, AMPK and FoxO pathways to ease oxidative stress, inflammation and immune responses in the intestine.
- They suggest that dietary resveratrol could be a new way to help prevent celiac disease.
How it was done
Celiac disease is triggered by wheat gluten, and patients find it hard to avoid gluten in their diet for life. The authors wanted to see if a natural antioxidant supplement could help ease intestinal symptoms.
They used Caco-2 cells exposed to a gluten peptide and mice given gliadin, alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitors and Poly:IC to model celiac disease. Mice were given 100 mg/kg resveratrol by gavage, and cells were treated with 5 micromol/L resveratrol for 3 hours.
What it can’t tell you
- These are cell and mouse studies. They cannot show what happens in people with celiac disease.
- The mouse model does not fully match human celiac disease, so the results may not apply to patients.
- The study did not test whether resveratrol can replace a gluten-free diet.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- Nanchang University, China
The paper
- Title
- The Nutritional Intervention of Resveratrol Can Effectively Alleviate the Intestinal Inflammation Associated With Celiac Disease Induced by Wheat Gluten
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Animals and lab studies
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Yu T, Xie Y, Yuan J, et al (2022). The Nutritional Intervention of Resveratrol Can Effectively Alleviate the Intestinal Inflammation Associated With Celiac Disease Induced by Wheat Gluten. Frontiers in immunology. doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.878186Free full textPubMed 35450077DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error