Caspase-11 is expressed in the colonic mucosa and protects against dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis.

ABSTRACT: Ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease are major inflammatory syndromes that affect millions of patients. Caspase-11 confers protection against Gram-negative enteropathogens, but its role during colitis is unknown. Here, we show that caspase-11 was constitutively expressed in the colon, and that caspase-11-deficient (caspase-11(-/-)) mice were hypersusceptible to dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis. Notably, pro-inflammatory Prevotella species were strongly reduced in the gut microbiota of caspase-11(-/-) mice. Co-housing with wild-type mice leveled Prevotella contents, but failed to protect caspase-11(-/-) mice from increased susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis. We therefore addressed the role of caspase-11 in immune signaling. DSS-induced tissue damage and inflammatory cell in

SUBMITTER: Demon D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4205216 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature