Gut immune cells associated with Crohn's disease
Health of specialised gut immune cells linked to gene associated with Crohn's disease
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Monday, 06, Oct 2008 08:19
The health of specialised gut immune cells has been linked to a gene associated with Crohn's disease, scientists have announced.
In a report published in the online version of the journal Nature today scientists said they believed the disease was caused by misdirected immune responses in the intestine that damage gut tissue.
"We now have a significant new piece of the puzzle that is Crohn's disease, but not the solution just yet," said senior author Herbert Virgin, from Washington University school of medicine in St Louis.
"As many as 30 different areas in human DNA have potential links to Crohn's disease, and to develop new treatments it's going to be essential to find out how each of them, as well as environmental factors, contribute to the disorder."
Crohn's disease is one of the most common inherited bowel disorders, with symptoms including diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting and weight loss. The condition can lead to partial or full intestinal blockages, which can require surgical treatment.
Research previously revealed that some Crohn's disease patients have a mutation in a gene known as Atg16L1. The mutation increases risk but does not automatically lead to Crohn's disease.
Researchers created and studied two lines of mice with a genetic alteration that reduced their ability to make the Atg16L1 protein.
Ken Cadwell and his colleagues found decreased Atg16L1 protein had pronounced effects on Paneth cells, immune cells in the lining of a portion of the small intestine. These cells make proteins and antimicrobial peptides that they package as granules and secrete into the intestine to defend the body against infection.
"When they have less Atg16L1, the Paneth cells survive, but their ability to secrete granules is significantly impaired," Mr Cadwell said.
"We don't yet know why having abnormal Paneth cells would predispose a person to Crohn's disease or to what degree other genes linked to Crohn's may affect the Paneth cell, but those are just a few of the very interesting questions to follow up on from these results," Mr Virgin concluded.