Intestinal barrier dysfunction in murine sickle cell disease is associated with small intestine neutrophilic inflammation, oxidative stress, and dysbiosis

Abstract The intestinal microbiome has emerged as a potential contributor to the severity of sickle cell disease (SCD). We sought to determine whether SCD mice exhibit intestinal barrier dysfunction, inflammation, and dysbiosis. Using the Townes humanized sickle cell mouse model, we found a 3‐fold increase in intestinal permeability as assessed via FITC‐dextran (4 kDa) assay in SS (SCD) mice compared to AA (wild type) mice (n = 4, p