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 […]
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, […]
