Reveal key proteins lead to ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis is a severe intestinal disease, the current incidence of the disease is not clear reason researchers recently published a research paper in the journal Cell on internationally renowned, researchers from Yale University, the study found a key protein plays an important role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis, research scientists or post-treatment of various pain disorders develop novel therapy offers hope.
The main features of the large intestine or colon colitis is an inflammatory tissue of the inner wall of the symptoms of the disease research scientists already know that a protein called IL-18 is mainly involved in the pathogenesis of colitis, but the protein's role in the play still exists considerable debate, researchers unclear IL-18 protein is protective or harmful; to investigate the role of IL-18, this paper researchers genetically engineered mice produced the modified gut endothelial cells or immune cells lack the protein or its receptor in mice engineered modification.
The researchers found that when elevated levels of IL-18, which can cause abnormal function of goblet cells, and goblet cells are a special type of epithelial cells, the protective mucus layer which may be formed in the intestine, thereby inhibiting inflammation and colitis; when the excessive production of IL-18 during inflammation, and mucus formation of intestinal goblet cells will appear missing, causing mucosal barrier damage, it is worth noting that researchers are ulcers of the body colitis observed in patients with the same pathology goblet cells and mucus layer.
As the latest study, researchers at Yale University have established in ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in the targeted therapies, the researchers next plan is based on current research to develop new treatments, the researchers Ruaidhri Jackson said, at present we are looking for different compounds to block the intestinal tract of IL-18, we believe the next day we can develop an effective treatment of ulcerative colitis in new drug or therapy.