Features of fascin expression in the small intestine of rats exposed to processed Eucheuma seaweed

This study focuses on the assessment of fascin expression in the small intestinal tissue of rats orally administered a food additive E407a (processed Eucheuma seaweed), which is widely used to improve the texture of food products. The issue of its safety is under debate nowadays. Small intestinal expression of fascin, an actin-bundling cytoskeletal protein involved in the formation of filopodia and microspikes, was evaluated immunohistochemically in 9 rats exposed to 140 mg of E407a per kg of weight daily during two weeks and 8 control animals. Fascin was found to be upregulated both in the lamina propria and epithelia of the small intestine in rats administered processed Eucheuma seaweed compared with the control group. Thus, oral consumption of E407a is associated with overexpression of fascin in the small intestine of rats.