Hedgehog is an anti-inflammatory epithelial signal for the intestinal lamina propria

Epithelial Hedgehog (Hh) ligands regulate several aspects of fetal intestinal organogenesis and emerging data implicate the Hh pathway in inflammatory signaling in adult colon. We investigated the effects of chronic Hh inhibition in vivo and profiled molecular pathways acutely modulated by Hh signaling in the intestinal mesenchyme. E18.5 intestinal mesenchyme was isolated and cultured. Mesenchyme was treated with Sonic (Shh) or Indian (Ihh) hedgehog ligand or Vehicle (control) acutely to identify targets regulated by Hh signaling in intestinal mesenchyme.