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There is much evidence that chronic inflammation can promote cancer, but the cause of this relationship is poorly understood.A few proteins, like NF-B and COX-2 have been known to be involved in inflammation and cancer.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug activated gene (NAG-1) is a newly-identified TGF-superfamily protein with anti-tumorigenic activity in vitro and in vivo.Although the transcriptional regulation of NAG-1 by a variety of stimuli, such as anti-inflammatory drugs, and anti-tumorigenic compounds has been well established, the biological functions of NAG-1 have not been studied in detail in vivo.Recently, we developed NAG-1 transgenic (NAG-Tg) mice and thus are able to examine NAG-1 s role in several pathophysiological functions in vivo.We have reported that NAG-1 transgenic mice are less sensitive to the carcinogenic compound that induces aberrant cryptic foci in the colon, and are less susceptible to tumor formation when crossed to a genetically modified animal model of intestinal tumorigenesis.During the course of studying NAG-1 transgenic mice, we have also found that NAG-1 expression reduced dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in NAG-Tg mice.Thus, NAG-1 expression may play a role in anti-tumorigenic and anti-inflammatory activities.Overall, NAG-1 plays an important role in tumorigenesis and inflammation, and is a link protein connecting these two pathologic processes.Thus, once the biological functions of NAG-1 are fully characterized, a secreted cytokine NAG-1 might be used for chemopreventive and/or therapeutic purposes in cancer and inflammation in the future.