Cannabinoid and inflammatory effects in porcine intestinal models

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Salah Amasheh
• Subject Area: Veterinary Medical Science
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 542827053

A wide variety of diseases are based on impairment of body surfaces, such as the epithelia of the skin, the respiratory tract and the intestine. With regard to intestinal health, there are a number of diseases in humans and animals that are based on a disturbed epithelial barrier function. Secondary plant substances can help to strengthen and to protect the intestinal barrier. It was recently shown that cannabidiol, a cannabinoid from the cannabis plant, has specific anti-inflammatory and barrier-strengthening effects in an intestinal cell model. The planned project will now clarify in detail the extent to which different cannabinoids influence the barrier function of the gastrointestinal tract. Various intestinal segments, including Peyer's patches, which are responsible for immune defense, as well as cell organoids generated from them, serve as the object of investigation. The effects of various cannabinoid receptor agonists are analyzed in combination with the effect of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Our studies include a detailed functional analysis of paracellular permselectivity and regulation to assess physiological and pathophysiological implications. Established methods from cell biology, molecular biology, electrophysiology and high-resolution microscopy are used. Our model organism is the pig, which has a gastrointestinal physiology very similar to humans in order to make an important contribution to the analysis and development of potentially therapeutic and preventive substances.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants