Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42420558›Full record

ArticlePflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology2026

Repeated aluminum ingestion alters human intestinal structure: focus on advanced 3D tissue models.

Giulia De Negri Atanasio, Lorenzo Dondero, Francesca Tardanico, Giorgia Allaria, Erica Lertora, Giacomo Rosa, Chiara Barisione, Caterina Ivaldo, Francesca Rispo, Tommaso Filippini and 8 more

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Article in Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

18 authors.

Giulia De Negri AtanasioDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Lorenzo DonderoDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Francesca TardanicoDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Giorgia AllariaDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Erica LertoraDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Giacomo RosaDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Chiara BarisioneDepartment of Surgical and Integrated Diagnostic Sciences, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV,6, Genoa, 16132, Italy.
Caterina IvaldoDepartment of Surgical and Integrated Diagnostic Sciences, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV,6, Genoa, 16132, Italy.
Francesca RispoDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Tommaso FilippiniEnvironmental, Genetic and Nutritional Epidemiology Research Center (CREAGEN), Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Section of Public Health, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Ilaria DemoriDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Sara FerrandoDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy.
Maria Cristina GaglianiDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Katia CorteseDepartment of Experimental Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
Mario PassalacquaInteruniversity Center for the Promotion of 3R Principles in Teaching and Research (Centro 3R), Pisa, Italy.
Jan MarkusMatTek Now Part of Sartorius, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Silvia LetasiovaMatTek Now Part of Sartorius, Bratislava, Slovakia.
Elena GrasselliDepartment of Earth, Environment and Life Science, University of Genoa, Genova, Italy. elena.grasselli@unige.it.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4439-4059

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Aluminum (Al³⁺) is a widespread environmental metal with potential effects on the intestinal epithelium. In this study, we evaluated the impact of dietary concentrations of aluminum on barrier integrity, histological organization, and gene expression in a 3D human intestinal tissue model. Tissues were exposed to increasing concentrations of aluminum (0, 5, 20, and 50 ppm) for 12 days to mimic environmental chronic exposure through ingestion. Transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) measurements revealed a significant decrease only at the highest dose (50 ppm) on day 12, indicating a damage to the epithelial permeability. This was supported by a marked downregulation of OCLN and CLDN-5 expression, key genes involved in tight junction integrity. Aluminum permeation across the tissue was confirmed via Inductively Coupled Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES), indicating dose-dependent penetration. Furthermore, gene expression analysis showed significant upregulation of MT-1E and MT-2 A (markers of cellular response to metal exposure) while MT-1 A remained unchanged. The present data demonstrate that repeated exposure to 50 ppm of Al3+ impacts intestinal barrier function and alters the tissue organization in the human intestinal epithelium.

Indexed as

AluminumIntestinal MucosaHumansIntestinal Barrier FunctionOccludinPermeabilityTight JunctionsAluminumOccludinOCLN protein, human3D in vitro modelsActin reorganizationAluminumIntestinal barrierMicrovilli lengthRepeated exposure

Identifiers

PMID42420558
PMCPMC13346327

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.