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Inflammatory bowel disease
Bax is downregulated in inflamed colonic mucosa of ulcerative colitis
  1. M Iimura,
  2. T Nakamura,
  3. S Shinozaki,
  4. B Iizuka,
  5. Y Inoue,
  6. S Suzuki,
  7. N Hayashi
  1. Institute of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Women's Medical University, 8–1, Kawada-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162–8666, Japan
  1. T Nakamura. Email:if9t-nkmr{at}asahi-net.or.jp

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS One form of epithelial cell injury in inflamed colonic mucosa in ulcerative colitis (UC) is reported to involve apoptosis of these cells. Bcl-2 family proteins Bax and Bcl-2 are the major regulators of apoptosis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the involvement of the Bax/Bcl-2 system in induction of apoptosis of the inflamed colonic epithelium in UC.

METHODS Colonic epithelium was isolated from colonic biopsy specimens. Expression of CD95, Bax, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-2 proteins was determined by western blotting. Bax gene expression was assessed by both reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) followed by Southern hybridisation and a real time PCR assay.

RESULTS Equal levels of expression of CD95, Bcl-xL, and Bcl-2 proteins were noted in normal and UC colonic epithelia. Equal levels of expression of Bax protein and mRNA were noted in epithelia of normal colon and inactive UC. Levels of expression of Bax protein and mRNA were markedly reduced in inflamed UC colonic epithelium.

CONCLUSIONS Our study showed for the first time downregulation of Bax in inflamed colonic epithelium of UC. The Bax/Bcl-2 system did not seem to be involved in induction of apoptosis of epithelial cells in the inflamed colonic mucosa of UC.

  • ulcerative colitis
  • apoptosis
  • Bax
  • Bcl-2
  • Bcl-xL
  • CD95

  • Abbreviations used in this paper

    UC
    ulcerative colitis
    IBD
    inflammatory bowel disease
    NO
    nitric oxide
    TNF-α
    tumour necrosis factor α
    IL
    interleukin
    IFN-γ
    interferon γ
    SIN-1
    3-morpholinosydnonimine
    RT-PCR
    reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Et-Br
    ethidium bromide
    mAb, monoclonal antibody, hr
    human recombinant
    GAPDH
    glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
    PBS, phosphate buffered saline
    BSA
    bovine serum albumin
    NF-κB
    nuclear factor κB

    • https://doi.org/10.1136/gut.47.2.228

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    • Abbreviations used in this paper

      UC
      ulcerative colitis
      IBD
      inflammatory bowel disease
      NO
      nitric oxide
      TNF-α
      tumour necrosis factor α
      IL
      interleukin
      IFN-γ
      interferon γ
      SIN-1
      3-morpholinosydnonimine
      RT-PCR
      reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, Et-Br
      ethidium bromide
      mAb, monoclonal antibody, hr
      human recombinant
      GAPDH
      glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase
      PBS, phosphate buffered saline
      BSA
      bovine serum albumin
      NF-κB
      nuclear factor κB
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