Impaired Duodenal Palmitoylethanolamide Release Underlies Acid-Induced Mast Cell Activation in Functional Dyspepsia

Sarnelli G, Pesce M, Seguella L, Lu J, Efficie E, Tack J, De Palma FDE, D'Alessandro A, Esposito G. Cell Mol Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2021;11(3):841-855.

Laboratory studyHumansOther animals

Design

Laboratory study

Subjects

Duodenal biopsies from patients with functional dyspepsia and from controls, plus PPAR-alpha knockout mice

Dose used in the study

Biopsies cultured at pH 3.0 or 7.4, with PEA added at several concentrations, alone or with PPAR-alpha or PPAR-gamma blockers

Duration

Tissue culture

What was measured

Mast cell number and mediator release; TRPV1 and TRPV4 expression; endogenous PEA release

What the authors reported

Acid raised mast cell density and mediator release in all biopsies, more so in dyspepsia. The tissue's own PEA release in response to acid was impaired in dyspepsia. Added PEA reduced the mast cell activation and TRPV up-regulation.

Limits of this study

A tissue culture study of mechanism. No patient was given PEA. The findings suggest a target, not a treatment effect.

Source

PubMed 33065341 · doi:10.1016/j.jcmgh.2020.10.001

Entry checked against the abstract on PubMed on 2026-09-22. The dose shown is the dose the researchers used. It is not a recommendation. How to read this page.