Role of TGF-Beta and Smad7 in Gut Inflammation, Fibrosis and Cancer.

ABSTRACT: The human gastrointestinal tract contains the largest population of immune cells in the body and this is a reflection of the fact that it is continuously exposed to a myriad of dietary and bacterial antigens. Although these cells produce a variety of inflammatory cytokines that could potentially promote tissue damage, in normal conditions the mucosal immune response is tightly controlled by counter-regulatory factors, which help induce and maintain gut homeostasis and tolerance. One such factor is transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, a cytokine produced by multiple lineages of leukocytes, stromal cells and epithelial cells, and virtually targets all the gut mucosal cell types. Indeed, studies in animals and humans have shown that defects in TGF-β1 production and/or signaling can lead to th

SUBMITTER: Stolfi C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7823508 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature