Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 8, 2025

Analyzing Beneficial Effects of Nutritional Supplements on Intestinal Epithelial Barrier Functions During Experimental Colitis
Published on: January 5, 2017
Redox imbalance in Crohn's disease patients is modulated by Azathioprine
Mohammad Javad Tavassolifar1, Mostafa Changaei1, Zahra Salehi1
1Immunology Department, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease without a specific cause. Inflammation in these patients can disturb the oxidants/antioxidants balance and results in oxidative stress that plays a destructive role. This study aimed to evaluate the gene expression of sod1, sod2, cat, nrf2 and gp91phox in CD patients before and after Azathioprine (Aza) consumption.
Method:
Peripheral bloodmononuclear cells (PBMCs) were separated from CD patients (n= 15, mean age = 33.6 ± 1.8) before and after treatment with Aza and healthy controls (n= 15, mean age = 31.5 ± 1.2). The expression levels of sod1, sod2, cat, nrf2 and gp91phox were measured in byusing real-time qRT-PCR technique.
Result:
The expression levels of gp91phox (P-value < 0.001), cat (P-value < 0.05), sod1 (P-value < 0.001), nrf2 (P-value < 0.001) were significantly increased compared to control group. Following treatment with Aza, the decreased expression levels of gp91phox (P-value < 0.05), cat (P-value < 0.05), sod1(P-value < 0.001) and nrf2 (P-value < 0.001) were observed in CD patients.
Conclusion:
Overall, our results showed that prescription of Azathioprine can lead to the altered expression of redox system-related genes in patients with CD.
Related Concept Videos
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
Drugs for Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis in IBD
Inflammatory Bowel Disease III: Diagnostic Studies and Management I-Nutritional Therapy
Diagnostic studies
A colonoscopy is the definitive screening test, distinguishing ulcerative colitis from other colon diseases with similar symptoms. During a colonoscopy test, inflamed mucosa with exudate ulcerations can be observed, and biopsies are taken to determine the histologic characteristics of the...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Glucocorticoids
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF

