[Effects of Neurotrophin Receptor-interacting MAGE Homolog on Apoptosis of Intestinal Epithelial Cells].

Objective: To explore whether neurotrophin receptor-interacting MAGE homolog (NRAGE) is involved in the intestinal ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) and its effect on the apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells and the expression of occludin protein.
Methods: The level of NRAGE protein after the rat small intestine I/R was detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) In vivo . The level of NRAGE protein and mRNA in IEC-6 cells after hypoxia and reoxygenation were tested by Western blot and RT-PCR respectively in vitro . The IEC-6 cells were divided into four groups, including NRAGE overexpression by lentivirus infection (Lv- NRAGE group), interference (sh- NRAGE group), lentivirus control (Lv-control group), and normal control group without lentivirus infection (NC group). The apoptosis of IEC-6 cells after infection was analyzed by flow cytometry. The level of the tight junction protein occludin was detected by Western blot.
Results: The expression of NRAGE were highly increased in intestinal mucosa epithelial cells after I/R ( P <0.01). The proteins and mRNA levels of NRAGE were increased after 6 h of hypoxia in IEC-6 cells in vitro . Compared with the Lv-control group, the early apoptosis rate was raised ( P <0.01) and the level of occludin was reduced ( P <0.01) in Lv- NRAGE group; while the early apoptosis rate was reduced ( P <0.01) and the level of occludin was raised in sh- NRAGE group( P <0.001).
Conclusion: NRAGE may be involved in intestinal I/R and promote the apoptosis and decrease occludin expression of intestinal epithelial cells.