Loss of TMF/ARA160 protein renders colonic mucus refractory to bacterial colonization and diminishes intestinal susceptibility to acute colitis.

ABSTRACT: TMF/ARA160 is a Golgi-associated protein with several cellular functions, among them direction of the NF-κB subunit, p65 RelA, to ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation in stressed cells. We sought to investigate the role of TMF/ARA160 under imposed stress conditions in vivo. TMF(-/-) and wild-type (WT) mice were treated with the ulcerative agent dextran sulfate sodium (DSS), and the severity of the inflicted acute colitis was determined. TMF(-/-) mice were found to be significantly less susceptible to DSS-induced colitis, with profoundly less bacterial penetration into the colonic epithelia. Surprisingly, unlike in WT mice, no bacterial colonies were visualized in colons of healthy untreated TMF(-/-) mice, indicating the constitutive resistance of TMF(-/-) colonic mucus to bacterial r

SUBMITTER: Bel S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3408173 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature