Phosphocreatine Rescues Intestinal Epithelial Metabolic Dysfunction Related to Creatine Kinase Loss and Is Protective in Murine Colitis.

Background & Aims: Inflammatory bowel disease is associated with intestinal energetic derangements, including reduced creatine kinase (CK) expression. CK is critical to cellular energetics, catalyzing bidirectional transfer of high-energy phosphate between creatine and ATP, and phosphocreatine (PCr) and ADP. However, the impact of CK loss on intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) remains unclear.

Fundamental role for the creatine kinase pathway in protection from murine colitis.

Inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract, including inflammatory bowel disease, cause metabolic stress within mucosal tissue. Creatine is a key energetic regulator. We previously reported a loss of creatine kinases (CKs) and the creatine transporter expression in inflammatory bowel disease patient intestinal biopsy samples and that creatine supplementation was protective in a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) colitis mouse model.