AIM: To investigate the proteins involved in colonic adaptation and molecular mechanisms of colonic adaptation in rats with ultra-short bowel syndrome (USBS). METHODS: Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups: USBS group (10 rats) undergoing an approximately 90%-95% small bowel resection; sham-operation group (10 rats) undergoing small bowel transaction and anastomosis; and control group (ten normal rats). Colon morphology and differential protein expression was analyzed after rats were given postsurgical enteral nutrition for 21 d. Protein expression in the colonic mucosa was analyzed by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) in all groups. Differential protein spots were detected by ImageMaster 2D Platinum soft-ware and were further analyzed with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight/time-of-flightmass spectrometric (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS) analysis. RESULTS: The colonic mucosal thickness significantly increased in the USBS group compared with the control group (302.1 ± 16.9 μm vs 273.7 ± 16.0 μm, P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the sham-operation group and control group (P > 0.05). The height of colon plica markedly improved in USBS group compared with the control group (998.4 ± 81.2 μm vs 883.4 ± 39.0 μm, P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the shamoperation and control groups (P > 0.05). A total of 141 differential protein spots were found in the USBS group. Forty-nine of these spots were down-regulated while 92 protein spots were up-regulated by over 2-folds. There were 133 differential protein spots in USBS group. Thirty of these spots were down-regulated and 103 were upregulated. There were 47 common differential protein spots among the three groups, including 17 downregulated protein spots and 30 up-regulated spots. Among 47 differential spots, eight up-regulated proteins were identified by MALDITOF/TOF-MS. These proteins were previously reported to be involved in sugar and fat metabolism, protein synthesis and oxidation reduction, which are associated with colonic adaption. CONCLUSION: Eight proteins found in this study play important roles in colonic compensation and are associated with sugar and fat metabolism, protein synthesis, and molecular chaperoning AIM: To investigate the proteins involved in colonic adaptation and molecular mechanisms of colonic adaptation in rats with ultra-short bowel syndrome (USBS). METHODS: Sprague Dawley rats were randomly assigned to three groups: USBS group (10 rats) % -95% small bowel resection; sham-operation group (10 rats) undergoing small bowel transaction and anastomosis; and control group (ten normal rats). Colon morphology and differential protein expression was analyzed after rats were given postsurgical enteral nutrition for 21 d Differential protein spots were detected by ImageMaster 2D Platinum soft-ware and were further analyzed with matrix-assisted laser desorption / ionization-time- of-flight / time-of-flightmass spectrometric (MALDI-TOF / TOF-MS) analysis. RESULTS: The colonic mucosal thickness significantly increased in the USBS group compared with the con There was no significant difference between the sham-operation group and control group (P> 0.05). The height of colon plica markedly improved in the USBS group compared to the control group (302.1 ± 16.9 μm vs 273.7 ± 16.0 μm, P <0.05) There was no significant difference between the shamoperation and control groups (P> 0.05). A total of 141 differential protein spots were found in the USBS (998.4 ± 81.2 μm vs 883.4 ± 39.0 μm, P < Forty-nine of these spots were down-regulated while 92 protein spots were up-regulated by over 2-folds. There were 133 differential protein spots in USBS group. Thirty of these spots were down-regulated and 103 were upregulated. There These 47 were common differential protein spots among the three groups, including 17 downregulated protein spots and 30 up-regulated spots. Among 47 differential spots, eight up-regulated proteins were identified by MALDITOF / TOF-MS. These proteins were previously reported t o be involved in sugar and fat metabolism, protein synthesis and oxidation reduction, which are associated with colonic adaption. CONCLUSION: Eight proteins found in this study play important roles in colonic compensation and are associated with sugar and fat metabolism, protein synthesis, and molecular chaperoning