Almost all people with ulcerative colitis (UC) make antibodies against a protein dimer called integrin αvβ6 on intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) lining the colon. People without UC do not. These “autoantibodies” often occur a decade before UC diagnosis, suggesting they may play a causal role very early in UC onset. Indeed, αvβ6 is known to […]
Despite intense research efforts on Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), there are no treatments that result in a sustained return to normal. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop innovative treatment approaches. Applying lessons learned from cancer immunotherapy, we have developed a novel treatment aimed at curing IBD: injectable Colon Organoid Immune Niche (COIN). Using […]
Monogenic forms of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) offer valuable insights into key regulators of intestinal inflammation. Building on our previous advancements in characterizing very early onset IBD (VEO-IBD) patients with monogenic CASP8 and RIPK1 deficiencies, we aim to elucidate the key factors and molecular mechanisms of disrupted cell death responses (necroptosis) in these life-threatening conditions. […]
People with Crohn’s disease (CD) often experience intestinal fibrosis, a result of chronic inflammation that thickens the gut wall, forms scar tissues and narrows the digestive tract, leading to blockages. This persistent fibrotic process necessitates multiple surgeries over a person’s lifetime. Currently, there are no targeted medications for fibrosis due to a lack of understanding […]
Intestinal fungi, collectively known as the mycobiota, have emerged as significant contributors to intestinal disease severity. Our prior research demonstrated the efficacy of fecal microbiota transplantation in inducing clinical responses in ulcerative colitis (UC) patients associated with decreased fungal colonization over time. Further investigations in mouse models and UC patients revealed that fungi exacerbate disease […]
T cells are major drivers of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) but the full set of factors promoting inflammatory intestinal T cell accumulation in affected individuals is not understood. We have found that deficiency in a signaling molecule (G-protein) in mouse hematopoietic cells leads to a reduction in inflammatory intestinal T cells. Here we will define […]
Males and females with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) differ in terms of incidence of disease, symptoms and response to treatments. The underlying reasons are largely unknown. Understanding why these sex differences exist could reveal why many patients develop IBD as they enter young adulthood. Sex hormones such as testosterone surge during adolescence and then circulate […]
The cells lining our intestine are the first line of defense against the microbes in our bowel. This lining does not function properly in types of Inflammatory Bowel Disease such as ulcerative colitis (UC). A major problem is that there are no therapies available for UC to improve the health of the intestine lining. Our […]
The etiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is complex and incompletely understood, with interactions between various genetic risks and environmental factors such as the gut microbiome contributing to disease. Further, psychological stress often precedes flare-ups, is associated with colitis severity and stress changes gut microbiome profiles. However, a mechanistic link between stress, the microbiome and […]
Despite advances in understanding Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), research has been constrained by the inability to sample the intestinal microenvironment under physiological conditions. Current methods utilize fecal specimens, constraining our comprehension of regional differences within the gut, or use invasive biopsies from colonoscopy-accessible areas, which represent less than 25% of the intestine. Furthermore, these biopsies […]
