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Thu, February 20, 2025

Unfolded protein response: A key regulator of intestinal health and disease


Published on 2025-02-20 12:43:16 - MSN
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  • The intestinal epithelium is a highly dynamic barrier that regulates digestion, absorption, immune responses, and communication between the gut microbiota and the nervous system. To maintain homeostasis,

The article from MSN discusses the unfolded protein response (UPR), a cellular stress response mechanism crucial for maintaining intestinal health. It explains how the UPR helps manage protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), which is vital for cell function. When proteins misfold due to various stressors like inflammation or infection, the UPR activates to restore normal protein folding, reduce protein synthesis, and degrade misfolded proteins. This response is particularly significant in the intestines, where it influences conditions like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), colorectal cancer, and metabolic disorders. The article highlights that disruptions in UPR can lead to chronic inflammation and disease progression, suggesting that targeting UPR could offer new therapeutic strategies for managing intestinal health issues. It also touches on how diet, gut microbiota, and environmental factors can modulate UPR, thereby affecting intestinal homeostasis.

Read the Full MSN Article at:
[ https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/nutrition/unfolded-protein-response-a-key-regulator-of-intestinal-health-and-disease/ar-AA1zsyKu ]