Transforming Growth Factor-β1/Smad7 in Intestinal Immunity, Inflammation, and Cancer.

ABSTRACT: In physiological conditions, the activity of the intestinal immune system is tightly regulated to prevent tissue-damaging reactions directed against components of the luminal flora. Various factors contribute to maintain immune homeostasis and diminished production and/or function of such molecules trigger and/or propagate detrimental signals, which can eventually lead to chronic colitis and colon cancer. One such a molecule is transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), a cytokine produced by many inflammatory and non-inflammatory cells and targeting virtually all the intestinal mucosal cell types, with the down-stream effect of activating intracellular Smad2/3 proteins and suppressing immune reactions. In patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), there is defective TGF-β1/Smad signali

SUBMITTER: Troncone E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6019438 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature