title: Effect of Kuijie Granule on the Expression of TGF-β/Smads Signaling Pathway in Patients with Ulcerative Colitis.
abstract: The dysregulation of TGF-β/Smads signaling pathway has been postulated to contribute to the development of ulcerative colitis (UC) and the manifestation of clinical symptoms. Kuijie Granule is a prescription medicine used clinically in China to alleviate the symptoms associated with UC. To evaluate whether the clinical benefit of Kuijie Granule is associated with TGF-β/Smads signaling, we measured the expression levels of TGF-β/Smads signaling proteins (TGF-β1, TGF-βRII, Smad2, Smad4, Smad6, and Smad7) in the intestinal mucosa of 72 patients with UC treated with Kuijie Granule for 60 days. Colonic tissues were obtained by a virtual colonoscopy guided biopsy before and after Kuijie Granule treatment followed by pathological analysis and quantitative analysis of TGF-β/Smads using immunohistochemistry. Kuijie Granule treatment significantly improved symptoms associated with UC, which include diarrhea, mucus production, pus and blood in stool, abdominal pain and distention, and tenesmus. The clinical benefit of Kuijie Granule treatment correlated with decreased expression of TGF-β1 and Smad7 and increased expression of TGF-βRII and Smad4. These clinical results indicate that Kuijie Granule can alleviate the symptoms associated with UC and modulate TGF-β/Smads signaling.
authors.affiliation: Traditional Chinese Medicine Department, Affiliated Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Shandong 271000, China.
authors.forename: Xinjie
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Chengdu Second People's Hospital, Sichuan 610017, China.
authors.forename: Chunhua
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Medicine, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA.
authors.forename: Shakir M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Saud
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Liaocheng Second People's Hospital, Shandong 252600, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Pathology Department, Affiliated Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Shandong 271000, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Dermatology Department, Tai'an Maternal and Child Health-Care Hospital, Shandong 271000, China.
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Shandong 271000, China.
authors.forename: Xiaowei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology Department, Affiliated Hospital of Taishan Medical University, Shandong 271000, China.
authors.forename: Jiangong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100053, China.
authors.forename: Weidong
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Li