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World J Gastroenterol. Dec 14, 2026; 32(46): 123696
Published online Dec 14, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.123696
Published online Dec 14, 2026. doi: 10.3748/wjg.123696
Trans-3-indoleacrylic acid ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis by modulating macrophage M1 polarization through the aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway
Jin-Wei Tuo, Xing Wu, Zhao-Hua Shen, Xiao-Yan Wang, Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China
Xiao-Yan Wang, Xiangya School of Public Health, Central South University, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China
Co-corresponding authors: Zhao-Hua Shen and Xiao-Yan Wang.
Author contributions: Wang XY and Shen ZH designed and coordinated the study; Tuo JW and Wu X conducted the experiments, examined and interpreted the data; Tuo JW drafted the paper; Wang XY and Shen ZH revised the manuscript; and all authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
AI contribution statement: Portions of this manuscript were edited using AI tools solely for language refinement. The authors carefully reviewed and verified all AI-assisted outputs and take full responsibility for the scientific content of the manuscript.
Supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Hunan Province, No. 2023JJ40902; Bai Qiuen-Qi Yin Future Multi-Disciplinary Research Capability Construction Project, No. BCF-QYWL-XH-2024-5; and Beijing Science and Technology Innovation Medical Development Fund Project, No. KC2023-ZZ-0011-01.
Institutional animal care and use committee statement: All procedures involving animals were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee for Animal Experiments of Central South University, Changsha, China (IACUC protocol number: CSU-2022-0442).
Conflict-of-interest statement: All authors declare having no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.
ARRIVE guidelines statement: The authors have read the ARRIVE Guidelines, and the manuscript was prepared and revised according to the ARRIVE Guidelines.
Data sharing statement: Technical appendix, statistical code, and dataset are available from the corresponding author at wangxiaoyan@csu.edu.cn upon reasonable request.
Corresponding author: Xiao-Yan Wang, PhD, Chief Physician, Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, No. 138 Tongzipo Road, Yuelu District, Changsha 410013, Hunan Province, China. wangxiaoyan@csu.edu.cn
Received: May 28, 2026
Revised: July 26, 2026
Accepted: September 17, 2026
Published online: December 14, 2026
Processing time: 146 Days and 2.1 Hours
Revised: July 26, 2026
Accepted: September 17, 2026
Published online: December 14, 2026
Processing time: 146 Days and 2.1 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: Microbiota-derived tryptophan metabolites contribute to intestinal immune homeostasis, but the immunoregulatory role of trans-3-indoleacrylic acid (IDA) in ulcerative colitis (UC) remains unclear. This study demonstrates that IDA alleviates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis by suppressing pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage polarization through activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR)-CYP1A1 pathway. IDA treatment is also associated with alterations in gut microbiota composition and short-chain fatty acid profiles. These findings identify the IDA-AHR-macrophage axis as a potential therapeutic target for UC.