Background: Interleukin-1 (IL-1), an inflammatory cytokine whose levels are elevated in inflamed mucosa, causes part of its effect on intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) through inducing ceramide production.
Aim: To study the role of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB), a pro-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic factor, in IL-1-treated IEC.
Methods: NF-kappaB activity and levels of apoptotic proteins were assessed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay and RNA-protection assay, respectively.
Results: IL-1 and ceramide, which have been shown to partially mediate IL-1 effects on IEC, activated NF-kappaB levels significantly. This activation was due to a decrease in IkappaB-alpha and IkappaB-beta protein levels. Moreover, the ratio of mRNA levels of anti-apoptotic to pro-apoptotic proteins was significantly increased in IL-1-treated IEC.
Conclusion: NF-kappaB may play a key role in the regulation of the expression of pro-inflammatory and/or apoptotic genes in inflammatory bowel disease, making this protein an attractive target for therapeutic intervention.