Genes for Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is often confused with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). While both conditions involve the intestinal tract and share some common symptoms, people with irritable bowel syndrome do not appear to have any notable physiological changes in their gastro-intestinal tract compared to people with inflammatory bowel disease, which is characterised by inflammation and ulceration.

IBD is usually separated into two types: ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn disease (CD). Current estimates suggest that over 1 million people in the US and Europe suffer from IBD. Typical IBD symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, fever, severe fatigue, and weight loss.

Using DNA microarrays, researchers reported in PLoS Medicine the discovery of 650 genes whose expression differed between normal control individuals and individuals with either ulcerative colitis or Crohn disease. The genes were classified according to function:

• Immune and inflammatory response
• Oncogenesis, cell proliferation, and growth
• Structure and permeability of intestinal cell membranes and barrier protection against bacterial invasion

The authors conclude:

The large number of involved mechanisms underlines the complexity of the IBD phenotype, but offers a large number of potential starting points for the development of new therapeutic strategies in the management of IBD.