Adrenomedullin as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Title:Adrenomedullin as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Volume: 14 Issue: 4

Author(s): Shinya Ashizuka, Haruhiko Inatsu, Kyoko Inagaki-Ohara, Toshihiro Kita and Kazuo Kitamura

Affiliation:

Keywords: Adrenomedullin, anti-inflammatory action, inflammatory bowel disease, inflammatory cytokines, translational research, ulcerative colitis.

Abstract: Adrenomedullin (AM) was originally isolated from human pheochromocytoma as a biologically active peptide with potent vasodilating action but is now known to exert a wide range of physiological effects, including cardiovascular protection, neovascularization, and apoptosis suppression. A variety of tissues, including the gastrointestinal tract, have been shown to constitutively produce AM. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1, and lipopolysaccharides, induce the production and secretion of AM. Conversely, AM induces the downregulation of inflammatory cytokines in cultured cells. Furthermore, AM downregulates inflammatory processes in a variety of different colitis models, including acetic acid-induced colitis and dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. AM exerts antiinflammatory and antibacterial effects and stimulates mucosal regeneration for the maintenance of the colonic epithelial barrier. Here, we describe the first use of AM to treat patients with refractory ulcerative colitis. The results strongly suggest that AM has potential as a new therapeutic agent for the treatment of refractory ulcerative colitis.

Cite this article as:

Ashizuka Shinya, Inatsu Haruhiko, Inagaki-Ohara Kyoko, Kita Toshihiro and Kitamura Kazuo, Adrenomedullin as a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Inflammatory Bowel Disease, Current Protein & Peptide Science 2013; 14 (4) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/13892037113149990044