Abstract:
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic inflammation in any part of
the gastrointestinal tract (Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease) and leads to severe damage
mostly of small and/or large intestines. Periostin is both, an extracellular and a matricellular
protein that involved in formation and functioning of several different organs and
biologically important signaling pathways. The precise role of periostin in IBD is still
unclear, although the impact of protein in the intestinal inflammation has been demonstrated.
CCR5, a seven transmembrane G-coupled receptor, is potentially associated with chronic
inflammation, leading to significant consequences. The mode of action from CCR5 in IBD
may be linked to effects mediated by periostin or act independently. We investigated the
patterns of Periostin and CCR5 expression in tissue samples from wild type and Periostin
knockout DSS and TNBS treated mice employing immunohistochemical staining. The
absence of periostin seems to reduce the amount of the CCR5 expression in animal models of
colitis (DSS and TNBS). The acute colitis was induced by oral DSS and rectal TNBS
administration. An experiment involving live mice and the use of CCL5 5p12 5m and
Maraviroc injections and oral consumption of Maraviroc was carried out and some results
obtained, but further analysis is still ongoing.