Tumor necrosis factor signaling is implicated in intestinal mucosal injury of cancer cachexic mice

Yunhe Jia,^1,* Wenjing Tian,^2,* Binbin Cui<sup>1

*</sup>Jia Y and Tian W contributed equally to this work (co-first author)

¹The Colorectal Cancer Surgery Department, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, PR China; ²Department of Epidemiology, Public Health College, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, PR China

Abstract: This study will examine the relationship between tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and intestinal mucosal injury in a cancer cachexia mouse model. The C26 adenocarcinoma cancer model was set up, and immunohistochemistry was performed to investigate the histological chances of injuring the intestinal mucosa and the intestinal villi. The liquid-phase protein chip was employed to examine the changes in TNF and its receptors. The results demonstrated an intestinal mucosal injury in the cancer cachexia mouse model. The height of the intestinal villi decreased, and thinner basal membrane thickness was noted. The serum TNF-alpha and sTNFR1 increased, while in the mucosa, the TNF-alpha concentration increased; sTNFR1 and sTNFR2 decreased when compared to the control group. In conclusion, there is a potential association between the TNF signaling pathway and the intestinal mucosal injury in a cancer cachexia mouse model. Such understanding provides insights into the development of novel therapeutic targets for intestinal mucosa protection in clinical practice.

Keywords: tumor necrosis factor, cachexia model, inflammation, proinflammatory factors, injury