- Scientists say they have identified a unique type of immune cell that has a pivotal role in protecting and revitalizing cells within the human intestinal tract.
- In individuals with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there is a reduction in these protective immune cells, increasing the risk of disease advancement and serious complications.
- This new research holds promise for better management and treatment of IBD, a condition that includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, both of which currently have no cure and are characterized by heightened gut inflammation that can result in symptoms such as pain and diarrhea.
In a new study, published in the journal Science, researchers examined a group of T cells known as gamma delta (γδ) T cells in the colons of individuals with healthy intestinal tracts and those with IBD.
The researchers said they identified a distinct specialized subset of gamma delta cells called V-gamma-4 (Vg4) cells, which were notably altered and often noticeably diminished in the inflamed samples of individuals with IBD.
Before conducting this research, the team from the Crick Institute and King’s College London had previously identified molecules in the healthy gut epithelium (the cells that line the gut walls) that directly engage with Vg4 T cells.
They examined whether the disruption of this normal interaction between Vg4 T cells and the epithelium was a fundamental factor in the development of the disease.
The study involved samples from more than 150 people treated at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
Robin Dart, a first study author and former PhD student at the Crick as well as a postdoctoral clinical research fellow at King’s College London and a consultant gastroenterologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, explained the key findings to Medical News Today.
The Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn’s disease and…
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