ErbB3 Promotes Intestinal Barrier Function and Expression of the Tight Junctional Protein Pmp22.

We demonstrate that loss of ErbB3 in the intestinal epithelium leads to reduced expression of the tight junction protein PMP22 and impaired barrier function in mice. This may represent a mechanism for regulation of the intestinal barrier through ErbB3 and PMP22. Furthermore, increased TEER in Caco-2BBe monolayers following NRG-1β treatment suggests induction of PMP22 may represent a means to enhance barrier function. Since disrupted intestinal barrier function contributes to the pathophysiology of chronic inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, these results may point to potential future therapeutic interventions targeting the barrier.