Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 10, 2026
08:58
Analyzing Beneficial Effects of Nutritional Supplements on Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Functions During Experimental Colitis
Published on: January 5, 2017
12.9K
Epithelial autophagy controls chronic colitis by reducing TNF-induced apoptosis
1a Sir William Dunn School of Pathology , University of Oxford , Oxford , UK.
Autophagy
|May 26, 2018
Summary
Autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells limits gut inflammation by preventing TNF-induced apoptosis. This finding is crucial for understanding inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and developing new treatments.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Gastroenterology
- Cell Biology
Background:
- Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) link ATG16L1 gene polymorphisms to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) susceptibility.
- This has spurred research into the role of macroautophagy/autophagy in gut mucosal immunity.
- The precise cell type and function of autophagy in IBD pathogenesis remain key questions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the cell type where autophagy deficiency is most detrimental during chronic colitis.
- To elucidate the functional role of autophagy in these critical gut cells.
Main Methods:
- Investigated autophagy deficiency in different intestinal cell types during experimental colitis.
- Assessed the impact of autophagy on tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-induced apoptosis in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs).
Main Results:
- Autophagy deficiency in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) exacerbates chronic colitis.
- Autophagy in IECs protects against TNF-induced apoptosis, thereby limiting intestinal inflammation.
Conclusions:
- Autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells is a critical protective mechanism against inflammation in the gut.
- Targeting autophagy in IECs may represent a novel therapeutic strategy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Apoptosis
15.2K
Apoptosis is a combination of two Greek words, 'apo' and 'ptosis,' meaning separation and falling off, respectively. Hippocrates used this word to describe gangrene, which was caused due to bandaging of fractured bones. Apoptosis was distinguished from necrosis in 1970 when John Kerr reported observations of morphological changes occurring during apoptosis. During one experiment, he observed that the disruption of blood supply to the liver tissue resulted in a size...
15.2K
01:27Autophagy
5.9K
Autophagy is a self-digesting process by which a cell protects itself from threats both within and outside the cell, ranging from abnormal proteins to invading bacteria. In this process, obsolete components of the cell and invading microbes are degraded by hydrolytic enzymes active in an acidic environment of the lysosomal lumen.
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
An autophagic pathway consists of a series of signaling events activated in response to diverse stress and physiological conditions such as food deprivation,...
5.9K
01:18Reducing Line Loss
392
In a three-phase circuit, line loss is an indicator of energy dissipated as heat due to the resistance of transmission lines. To address this, incorporating transformers into the system—a step-up transformer at the source and a step-down transformer at the load—is a strategic solution. Two three-phase transformers are introduced to improve this.
With a step-up transformer at the source, the voltage is increased, thereby reducing the current in the transmission lines since power loss in...
With a step-up transformer at the source, the voltage is increased, thereby reducing the current in the transmission lines since power loss in...
392
01:22Methods of reducing fever
1.4K
The signs and symptoms of fever include hot and dry skin, flushed face, thirst, muscle aches, anorexia, headache, tachycardia, tachypnea, and fatigue. Elevated body temperature is reduced using two methods: pharmacological and nonpharmacological. Proper identification and treatment of the root cause of a fever is of utmost importance.
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
Pharmacological Methods of Reducing Fever:
1.4K
01:29Drugs for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in IBD
533
Ulcerative colitis is a chronic inflammatory condition primarily affecting the colon and rectum. The primary drugs used in the treatment of ulcerative colitis are aminosalicylates. They exhibit anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties. They modulate inflammatory mediators and inhibit the activity of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). Aminosalicylates also reduce inflammation by inhibiting prostaglandin and leukotriene production and decreasing neutrophil chemotaxis and superoxide...
533
01:27Inflammatory Bowel Disease I: Ulcerative Colitis
1.1K
Introduction
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
Inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, encompasses a group of disorders characterized by chronic inflammation or ulceration of the gastrointestinal tract.
Risk Factors
The exact cause of IBD remains unclear, although it is believed to be due to a mix of genetic, environmental, microbial, and immune factors. Genetic factors are significant in determining susceptibility to IBD, with family history being a critical risk factor. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has IBD are at...
1.1K