It has been a while since we have had major news related to ulcerative colitis!
Three genes that increase the risk of developing ulcerative colitis have been found for the first time in a study of about 1,400 Japanese patients.
The following is a quotation.
Three genes for ulcerative colitis discovered = Survey of 1,400 Japanese patients – Hopes for new immune-modulating drug
Three genes that increase the risk of developing ulcerative colitis, an intractable disease that causes repeated episodes of abdominal pain, diarrhea, and blood loss, have been found for the first time in a survey of about 1,400 Japanese patients. A research team from RIKEN, Sapporo Medical University, Tohoku University, Kyushu University, and other universities announced the finding in the electronic edition of the U.S. science journal Nature Genetics on April 16. Ulcerative colitis was found to be similar to an autoimmune disease, and the development of new drugs that regulate the immune response in the large intestine is expected.
Ulcerative colitis is a specific disease designated by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. According to RIKEN, the number of patients in Japan last year was about 104,000, almost doubling over the past decade. It has been believed that inflammation occurs due to an abnormal immune response to some substance (antigen) contained in the diet or intestinal bacteria, but this has not been elucidated at the genetic level.
RIKEN team leader Mitsuaki Kubo and his colleagues analyzed and compared the entire genetic information (genome) of a total of 1,384 patients and 3,057 healthy individuals. As a result, it was found that mutations in (1) the FCGR2A gene, which stimulates an immune response, (2) an unknown gene on chromosome 13, and (3) the SLC26A3 gene, which absorbs water from digested food, were involved in the onset of the disease. The risk of developing the disease was 1.6, 1.35, and 1.3 times higher for the specific type of mutation, respectively. (Jiji Press 2009/11/16-04:58)