Are neurotrophins important in ulcerative colitis?

• Neurotrophins are known to have growth, survival-promoting, and healing effects. The importance of neurotrophins in ulcerative colitis (UC) is, however, unclear. Recent studies in our group revealed that an occurrence of marked changes in neurotrophin expression patterns was related to a worsening of the disease process. There was thus an upregulation for the lamina propria cells but a downregulation in nerve structures concerning neurotrophin expressions in severe UC. The observations show that changes in the neurotrophin system are a part of the disease process in UC and are of interest as treatments interfering with neurotrophin effects in other situations have been found to have trophic and healing effects.

Nyckelord

Animals

Colitis; Ulcerative/*metabolism/pathology/therapy

Cytokines/metabolism

Humans

Nerve Growth Factors/*metabolism

Receptor; Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism

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