Ileum Gene Expression in Response to Acute Systemic Inflammation in Mice Chronically Fed Ethanol: Beneficial Effects of Elevated Tissue n-3 PUFAs

Chronic alcohol consumption leads to disturbances in intestinal function which can be exacerbated by inflammation and modulated by different factors, e.g., polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). The mechanisms underlying these alterations are not well understood. In this study, RNA-seq analysis was performed on ileum tissue from WT and transgenic mice (which have elevated endogenous n-3 PUFAs). Mice were chronically fed ethanol (EtOH) and challenged with a single lipopolysaccharide (LPS) dose to induce acute systemic inflammation. Both WT and mice exhibited significant ileum transcriptome changes following EtOH + LPS treatment. Compared to WT, mice had upregulated expression of genes associated with cell cycle and xenobiotic metabolism, while the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and pro-fibrotic genes was decreased. In response to EtOH + LPS, mice had an increased expression of genes related to antibacterial B cells (APRIL and IgA), as well as an elevation in markers of pro-restorative macrophages and γδ T cells that was not observed in WT mice. Our study significantly expands the knowledge of regulatory mechanisms underlying intestinal alterations due to EtOH consumption and inflammation and identifies the beneficial transcriptional effects of n-3 PUFAs, which may serve as a viable nutritional intervention for intestinal damage resulting from excessive alcohol consumption.