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Review
. 2021 Dec:74:103751.
doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2021.103751. Epub 2021 Dec 10.

MUC2 and related bacterial factors: Therapeutic targets for ulcerative colitis

Dianbo Yao  1 , Wanlin Dai  2 , Ming Dong  3 , Chaoliu Dai  1 , Shuodong Wu  4
Affiliations
Review

MUC2 and related bacterial factors: Therapeutic targets for ulcerative colitis

Dianbo Yao et al. EBioMedicine. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

The mucin2 (MUC2) mucus barrier acts as the first barrier that prevents direct contact between intestinal bacteria and colonic epithelial cells. Bacterial factors related to the MUC2 mucus barrier play important roles in the response to changes in dietary patterns, MUC2 mucus barrier dysfunction, contact stimulation with colonic epithelial cells, and mucosal and submucosal inflammation during the occurrence and development of ulcerative colitis (UC). In this review, these underlying mechanisms are summarized and updated, and related interventions for treating UC, such as dietary adjustment, exogenous repair of the mucus barrier, microbiota transplantation and targeted elimination of pathogenic bacteria, are suggested. Such interventions are likely to induce and maintain a long and stable remission period and reduce or even avoid the recurrence of UC. A better mechanistic understanding of the MUC2 mucus barrier and its related bacterial factors may help researchers and clinicians to develop novel approaches for treating UC.

Keywords: Dysbiosis; MUC2; Microbiota transplantation; Mucus barrier; Ulcerative colitis.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors confirm that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
MUC2 mucus barrier and its related bacterial factors under physiological conditions, pathophysiological conditions, and potential interventions in the intestinal tract for treating ulcerative colitis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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