Barrier-Strengthening Effects of Cannabidiol on Porcine Peyer’s Patches

Abstract

Cannabidiol (CBD), a major non-psychoactive cannabinoid of the Cannabis sativa L. plant, has demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects in various studies. However, the therapeutic use of CBD is still limited. Despite its potential, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of CBD on epithelial integrity, particularly concerning effects in native intestinal tissue. To accomplish this, our study aimed to investigate the effects of CBD ex vivo on the follicle-associated epithelium of Peyer’s Patches (PP) and villus epithelium (VE) from porcine intestine. To measure the epithelial barrier, the Ussing chamber technique was employed, followed by immunoblotting and confocal laser-scanning immunofluorescence microscopy of tight junction proteins and specific receptors. The results revealed that CBD significantly strengthens the epithelial barrier of PP by upregulation of sealing tight junction proteins, including occludin, claudin-1, -3, and -7. Additionally, the study showed the potential of CBD to decrease the expression of Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFɑ) receptor 1 (TNFR-1) in PP that plays a key role in chronic inflammatory diseases. The study highlights the potential of CBD in the prevention of inflammatory conditions and underlines the important role of PP as a target for bioactive compounds.