UTSW Researchers Identify Driver of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have discovered an intracellular mechanism that converts protective intestinal cells into disease-driving pathogenic cells, a finding that could lead to improved treatments for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). 

More than 3 million Americans suffer from IBD, with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis the most common forms. Although the disease is similar to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), the symptoms of patients with IBD are caused by inflammation in the GI tract, diagnosed through a colonoscopy. That inflammation can permanently damage the intestines, create severe complications throughout the body, and put patients at a higher risk of colon cancer.