Impaired Wnt/β-catenin pathway leads to dysfunction of intestinal regeneration during necrotizing enterocolitis.

ABSTRACT: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a devastating neonatal disease characterized by acute intestinal injury. Intestinal stem cell (ISC) renewal is required for gut regeneration in response to acute injury. The Wnt/β-catenin pathway is essential for intestinal renewal and ISC maintenance. We found that ISC expression, Wnt activity and intestinal regeneration were all decreased in both mice with experimental NEC and in infants with acute active NEC. Moreover, intestinal organoids derived from NEC-injured intestine of both mice and humans failed to maintain proliferation and presented more differentiation. Administration of Wnt7b reversed these changes and promoted growth of intestinal organoids. Additionally, administration of exogenous Wnt7b rescued intestinal injury, restored ISC, and reest

SUBMITTER: Li B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6776513 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature