title: Expression of Smad7 and Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 2 in a rat model of chronic pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the expressions of Smad7 and Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 2 (Smurf2) in the pancreas in rats with chronic pancreatitis (CP).
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 16 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control group and the CP group, with 8 rats in each group. CP was induced in vivo with dibutyltin dichloride (DBTC). Four weeks after DBTC administration, histological assessment and the measurement of hydroxyproline content in the pancreatic tissues were performed to assess the inflammation and fibrosis of the pancreas. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were applied to assess activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSC) and TGF-β1 expression. Smad7 and Smurf2 expressions in the pancreas were measured using Western blot and RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Typical histopathological characteristics of DBTC-induced CP in the rats with extensively activated PSC. Compared with the control group, the expressions of TGF-β1, α-SMA and hydroxyproline content in the pancreatic tissues in the CP group were significantly increased. Meanwhile, the mRNA and protein expressions of Smad7 and Smurf2 were significant increased in the fibrotic pancreas, in which the expressions of Smad7 proteins showed an obvious reduction compared with controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The dysregulation of Smad7 and Smurf2 may be associated with the pathogenesis of pancreatic fibrosis through the TGF-β signaling pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Xiao Jia
authors.initials: XJ
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhen Dong
authors.initials: ZD
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jian Wei
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Gastroenterology, Changhai Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Zhao Shen
authors.initials: ZS
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D006909:Hydroxyproline / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009947:Organotin Compounds; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D058954:Pancreatic Stellate Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D050500:Pancreatitis, Chronic / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D051906:Smad7 Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1 / Q000378:metabolism; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D006909:Hydroxyproline; D009947:Organotin Compounds; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D051906:Smad7 Protein; D053773:Transforming Growth Factor beta1; D044767:Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases; C497808:Smad7 protein, rat; C526200:Smurf2 protein, rat; C020735:dibutyldichlorotin; C498862:Acta2 protein, rat
keywords: Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor 2; Smad7; chronic pancreatitis; expression; pancreatic fibrosis