Epithelial metabolic reprogramming for pediatric ulcerative colitis.

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 lab uses organoids, or “mini-guts,” grown in a dish from pediatric patients to study the colon lining in UC. We have found that organoids from patients with ulcerative colitis have problems in the way they use energy. In this study we will determine if blocking specific proteins or pathways related to energy use can reverse problems with the colon lining in ulcerative colitis. We will also use new approaches to determine which cells in the colon lining have problems with using energy and where they are located. The results of this study may lead to new treatments to restore health to the cells lining the colon in UC.