Fat tissues are known to regulate the storage and release of fatty acids. However, their role in the context of intestinal inflammation remains largely unclear. Interestingly, abdominal fat tissue expands in many Crohn’s disease patients engulfing parts of the inflamed intestine. This has recently been associated with the promotion of pro-repair mechanism helping to heal […]
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 Inflammatory Bowel Disease (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 […]
Diet plays a unique role in Crohn’s disease (CD) pathogenesis and therapy. In pediatric CD, commercial formulas used as exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) are effective at inducing both clinical and biochemical remission. This study assesses the impact of a whole-food blended smoothie as EEN on CD activity and the intestinal microbiome. The primary aims of […]
Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can experience many years of inflammation and remission in the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, the intestines can undergo a structural change known as fibrosis, which narrows the inside. This narrowing is a major, and sometimes life-threatening, health issue for patients because it can block the passage of digested […]
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, […]
Crohn’s disease is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestinal tract. It has been increasingly appreciated that two factors are involved beyond the genetic setup of individuals: 1) Intestinal microbial dysbiosis and 2) immune system dysregulation. Intestinal microbial dysbiosis refers to changes in the billions of bacteria that are growing in our gut. In healthy […]
Diet is thought to be a major environmental factor contributing to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) and represents a non-invasive path to improve this debilitating condition. To leverage diet to treat IBD the precise ways that dietary components influence development or healing of inflammation need to be determined. We discovered that different dietary protein sources have […]
