AhR activation by 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin inhibit the development of mouse intestinal epithelial cells

In this study, we demonstrated that 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) inhibited the in vitro development of mouse intestinal organoids. The number of Paneth cells in the small intestine and the depth of crypts of the small and large intestines were reduced in mice administrated with FICZ. Immunohistochemical and flow cytometric assays revealed that AhR was highly expressed in Lgr5+ stem cells. FICZ inhibited Wnt signaling lowering the level of β-catenin protein. Gene expression analyses demonstrated that FICZ increased expression of Lgr5, Math1, BMP4, and Indian Hedgehog while inhibiting that of Lgr4.
Source: Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology - Category: Environmental Health Source Type: research