Bridge the Gap – The Efficacy of β-Carotene in Immune Sensing of LPS and Intestinal Barrier Integrity in Colon Epithelial Cells

Objectives Gastrointestinal (GI) disorders are causing significant global health care burden. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a structural component of Gram-negative bacteria, induces low-grade inflammation and disturbs GI homeostasis. While the anti-inflammatory function of β-Carotene (BC), a provitamin A carotenoid, has been explored in multiple systems, a limited information exists on the roles of BC in modulating LPS-induced inflammation in colonocytes. Therefore, we aimed to mechanistically investigate the role of BC in LPS-induced colonic inflammation and intestinal barrier dysfunction.