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 […]
Our skin and gut house multitudes of bacteria that influence our health via interactions with key immune sentinel cells that engulf these microbes and respond dynamically to their signals. Previously we have had to rely heavily on animal models to try to decode this language between our immune sentials and the bacteria they sense, because […]
Despite medical advances, a significant proportion of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients are resistant to therapies, with CD4 T cells being consistently activated. Analysis of inflamed tissues from a cohort of refractory IBD patients reveals an enrichment of metabolism gene transcripts in CD4 T cells. Exploring the mechanisms, our preliminary data demonstrate that several proinflammatory […]
Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol that is not absorbed very well in our bodies. It is usually broken down in the gut by a type of bacteria called Clostridia. When these bacteria are not there, sorbitol accumulates and that leads to increased osmotic stress for the cells lining our intestines. Our cells have many defense […]
In 1848, a German philosopher, Ludwig Feuerbach, first used the phrase, “We are what we eat.” This famous statement is particularly true in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) where a western diet lacking in plant derived components is a well-recognised risk factor. However, we still do not understand how the food we eat can contribute to […]
Mental health profoundly impacts inflammatory diseases of the body. This is particularly apparent in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), where stressful events in a patient’s life often enhance the severity of subsequent disease flares. Psychological stress is also strongly linked to bowel motility problems in IBD patients. How the state of the brain influences inflammation in […]
Microbiota small molecules correlate with IBD pathogenesis, yet the molecular mechanisms behind remain elusive. We recently developed gene manipulation tools in multiple gut Clostridia commensals, and by mutating the responsible gene and mono-colonizing germ-free mice with the mutant, we can switch specific microbiota metabolites on/off in vivo and found that metabolites derived from Clostridia amino […]
Our gut microbiome has a strong influence on a variety of diseases, including Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Fungi form an integral part the human gut microbiome, and studies in mice showed that fungi may have a substantial influence on inflammation and IBD development, while antibody responses against fungi constitute important clinical IBD diagnostic tools. However, […]
Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) have dysfunctions in gut motility, the movement of muscles in the gastrointestinal tract. Currently, most available therapeutics developed to directly target the gut fail to stabilize symptoms, suggesting that dysfunctions in gut motility could arise from pathological changes occurring outside the gut. Intriguingly, gut motility problems also occur at […]
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) comprises incurable chronic diseases of the gut which oscillate between periods of disease worsening (i.e. relapse) and relatively normal health (i.e. remission). Whilst current medicines often reduce this see-sawing problem, their effectiveness eventually wanes to the point where a large percentage of IBD patients still need hospitalisation and major surgery during […]
