*Article* **Glucose Uptake and Oxidative Stress in Caco-2 Cells: Health Benefits from** *Posidonia oceanica* **(L.) Delile**

**Camilla Morresi 1,†, Marzia Vasarri 2,†, Luisa Bellachioma 3, Gianna Ferretti 1, Donatella Degl***-* **Innocenti 2,4,\* and Tiziana Bacchetti <sup>3</sup>**


**Abstract:** *Posidonia oceanica* (L.) Delile is an endemic Mediterranean marine plant of extreme ecological importance. Previous in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated the potential antidiabetic properties of *P. oceanica* leaf extract. Intestinal glucose transporters play a key role in glucose homeostasis and represent novel targets for the management of diabetes. In this study, the ability of a hydroalcoholic *P. oceanica* leaf extract (POE) to modulate intestinal glucose transporters was investigated using Caco-2 cells as a model of an intestinal barrier. The incubation of cells with POE significantly decreased glucose uptake by decreasing the GLUT2 glucose transporter levels. Moreover, POE had a positive effect on the barrier integrity by increasing the Zonulin-1 levels. A protective effect exerted by POE against oxidative stress induced by chronic exposure to high glucose concentrations or tert-butyl hydroperoxide was also demonstrated. This study highlights for the first time the effect of POE on glucose transport, intestinal barrier integrity, and its protective antioxidant effect in Caco-2 cells. These findings suggest that the *P. oceanica* phytocomplex may have a positive impact by preventing the intestinal cell dysfunction involved in the development of inflammation-related disease associated with oxidative stress.

**Keywords:** *Posidonia oceanica*; AGEs; marine antioxidants; oxidative stress; intestinal glucose uptake; intestinal barrier integrity
