nrf-2 expression in ulcerative colitis lesions and its correlation with antioxidant enzyme levels and tissue injury

Objective: To study the Nrf-2 expression in ulcerative colitis lesions and its correlation with antioxidant enzyme levels and tissue injury. Methods: Patients who were diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and colon polyp by colonoscopy and pathology biopsy in the Yan’an People’s Hospital between May 2013 and April 2016 were selected and enrolled in UC group and control group respectively. Lesion tissue was collected to determine the mRNA expression of Nrf-2, antioxidant enzymes, intestinal mucosa function molecules and intestinal mucosa apoptosis molecules as well as the levels of antioxidant enzymes. Results: Nrf-2, SOD, GSHPx, CAT, Fas, FasL, NF-kB, TNF-α and Bak mRNA expression in lesions of UC group were significantly higher than those of control group while SOD, GSH-Px and CAT levels as well as cingulin, claudin-2, galectin-1, galectin-3 and galectin-9 mRNA expression were significantly lower than those of control group; Nrf-2 mRNA expression in lesion of UC group was positively correlated with SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, Fas, FasL, NF-kB, TNF-α and Bak mRNA expression, and negatively correlated with SOD, GSH-Px and CAT levels as well as cingulin, claudin-2, galectin-1, galectin-3 and galectin-9 mRNA expression. Conclusions: Compensatory high Nrf-2 expression in ulcerative colitis is closely related to oxidative stress and intestinal mucosa tissue injury.