title: Curcumin ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced experimental colitis by blocking STAT3 signaling pathway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although a series of studies have shown that curcumin can exert anti-inflammatory effects in colitis by inhibiting NF-κB activation, whether these anti-inflammatory effects of curcumin are also attributed to its ability to inhibiting STAT3 pathway has never been tested in experimental colitis to date. The purpose of the study was to investigate whether curcumin could exert its therapeutic effects in experimental colitis by inhibiting STAT3 pathway.
  
  
  METHODS
  Curcumin was administered in experimental colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). The disease activity index (DAI) and histological score were observed. The phospho-STAT3 was assessed by western blot analysis. The DNA-binding activity of STAT3 dimers was evaluated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). The expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was determined by using MPO assay kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant improvement was observed in DAI and histological score in mice with curcumin, and the increases in phospho-STAT3 activity, DNA-binding activity of STAT3 dimers, MPO activity, IL-1β, and TNF-α expression in mice with DSS-induced colitis were significantly reduced following treatment with curcumin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Curcumin exerts beneficial effects in experimental colitis by the suppression of STAT3 pathway, which may therefore provide a better understanding of the mechanism of action for curcumin in treating colitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology and Geriatrics Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yu Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Gong Xiang
authors.initials: GX
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yun Xue
authors.initials: YX
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Qin
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Hua Kui
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Gan
authors.forename: Xiao Li
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Hua Tian
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Gan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003092:Colitis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D003106:Colon / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D003474:Curcumin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D016264:Dextran Sulfate / Q000276:immunology; D015536:Down-Regulation; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D016264:Dextran Sulfate; D009195:Peroxidase; D003474:Curcumin
keywords: Curcumin; Dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis; Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3); Ulcerative colitis