Transforming Growth Factor β1/SMAD Signaling Pathway Activation Protects the Intestinal Epithelium from Clostridium difficile Toxin A-Induced Damage.

ABSTRACT: Clostridium difficile, the main cause of diarrhea in hospitalized patients, produces toxins A (TcdA) and B (TcdB), which affect intestinal epithelial cell survival, proliferation, and migration and induce an intense inflammatory response. Transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) is a pleiotropic cytokine affecting enterocyte and immune/inflammatory responses. However, it has been shown that exposure of intestinal epithelium to a low concentration of TcdA induces the release of TGF-β1, which has a protective effect on epithelial resistance and a TcdA/TGF-β signaling pathway interaction. The activation of this pathway in vivo has not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the TGF-β1 pathway in TcdA-induced damage in a rat intestinal epithelial cell line (IEC-6) and

SUBMITTER: Tinoco-Veras CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5607421 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature