The Wnt and Notch signalling pathways are important for maintenance of intestinal epithelial barrier integrity by intestinal stem cells (ISCs). Dysfunction of these pathways is implicated in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colon cancer. The objective of this review is to summarise advancements of drugs that regulate Wnt and Notch in the treatment of IBD and colon cancer. The compositions and biological effects of Wnt and Notch modulators in both ISCs and non-ISCs are discussed. The drugs, including phytochemicals, plant extracts, probiotics and synthetic compounds, have been found to regulate Wnt and Notch signalling pathways by targeting regulatory factors (including secreted frizzled-related proteins or pathway proteins such as β-catenin and γ-secretase) to alleviate IBD and colon cancer. This review highlights the potential for targeting Wnt and Notch pathways to treat IBD and colon cancer.
Keywords: IBD; Intestinal stem cells; Notch; Wnt; colon cancer.