Diminished expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin, claudin-1 and e-cadherin, and increased expression of claudin-2 have been reported in the small intestine of patients and experimental models of cirrhosis, especially in decompensated ones, with a concomitant increase produced in intestinal permeability, supporting the dynamic relationship between portal hypertension, gut bacterial translocation (GBT) and TJ and AJ expression in intestinal epithelial cells (5, 10, 21, 98). The gene discussed is CDH1; the disease is Cirrhosis.