Deficiency of Gankyrin in the small intestine is associated with augmented colitis accompanied by altered bacterial composition of intestinal microbiota.

Background: Gankyrin (GK) is an oncoprotein which regulates inflammatory responses and its inhibition is considered as a possible anti-inflammatory therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Methods: In this study, we investigated the role of GK in epithelial cells using mice with intestinal epithelial cell-specific GK deletion in (i) the entire small intestine and colon (Villin-Cre;Gankyrin) and (ii) the distal intestine and colon (Cdx2-Cre;Gankyrin).

Result: Unexpectedly, GK-deficiency in the upper small bowel augmented inflammatory activity compared with control mice when colitis was induced with dextran sodium sulfate. Biochemical analyses have revealed GK-deficiency to have caused reduction in the expression of antimicrobial peptides, α-Defensin-5 and -6, in the upper small bowel. Examination of human samples have further confirmed that the reduction of GK expression in the small bowel is associated with colonic involvement in human Crohn's disease. Through the sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicons, bacteria potentially deleterious to intestinal homeostasis such as Helicobacter japonicum and Bilophila were found to be over-represented in colitis induced Villin-Cre;Gankyrin mice when compared to Gankyrin control mice under the same condition.

Conclusion: These results highlight the distinct site dependence of the pro- and anti-inflammatory functions of GK and provide important insights into the pathogenesis of IBD.