The discovery of a protein linked to chronic bowel inflammation may lead to advancements in drug development, according to a study published in The Journal of Cell Biology.
Researchers have reported that A20, the nutrient associated with the disorder, contributes to the activation of the inflammatory response system, which helps prevent the death of healthy cells.
In an effort to better understand the role of this protein, investigators extracted intestinal epithelial cells from mice that were unable to produce A20. Because they lacked the compound, the animals were more likely to suffer cell breakdown and develop symptoms that could lead to chronic bowel inflammation.
While further research with human patients is necessary, the team concluded that targeting the use of A20 could lead to the development of new medications, which could help treat patients with intestinal disease. Future studies may also help researchers discover ways to detect and prevent chronic inflammatory bowel disease.
Of the 169,000 Americans who were hospitalized with inflammatory bowel disease in 2002, 62 percent of patients were diagnosed with Crohns disease, a common form of the disorder, according to the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse.