Specialised intestinal cells cause some cases of Crohn’s disease

Researchers discover that the cells play a major role in inflammation which underlies Crohn's disease in small intestine. If we are able to break down Crohn's disease into subsets by understanding the underlying mechanisms, which we have done here, we hope to develop much more targeted, effective treatments. Professor Arthur Kaser Scientists have discovered that Crohn's disease, the inflammatory bowel disorder, can originate from specialised intestinal cell type called Paneth cells. As such, they propose that small intestinal Crohn's disease might be a specific disorder of this cell type, providing a possible new target for treatments. The study, by researchers from the University of Cambridge and Harvard University, was published today in the journal Nature . "If we are able to break down Crohn's disease into subsets by understanding the underlying mechanisms, which we have done here, we hope to develop much more targeted, effective treatments," said Professor Arthur Kaser from the University of Cambridge, one of the lead authors of the paper. "The discovery of the Paneth cells' role in inflammation of the bowel also raises the possibility of entirely novel therapeutic approaches." The researchers also identified the mechanism by which defects in autophagy, the breakdown and recycling of unnecessary cellular components in the body, can lead to Crohn's disease.