Mice study offers new insight on irritable bowel syndrome (Rockefeller University)

[Jeffrey Roberts]

Mice study offers new insight on irritable bowel syndrome

Sometimes the end of an intestinal infection is just the beginning of more misery. Of those who contract traveler's diarrhea, for example, an unlucky few go on to develop irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract.

Scientists aren't sure exactly how this happens, but some think an infection may contribute to IBS by damaging the gut nervous system. A new Rockefeller study takes a close look at why neurons in the gut die and how the immune system normally protects them.

Conducted with mice, the experiments described recently in Cell offer insight on IBS and could point toward potential new treatment approaches.

Keeping inflammation in check

In a healthy gut, the immune system must strike a careful balance between responding to threats and keeping that response in check to avoid damage.

Full article >> https://www.news-medical.net/news/20200112/Mice-study-offers-new-insight-on-irritable-bowel-syndrome.aspx

Source:

Rockefeller University

Matheis, F., et al. (2020) Adrenergic Signaling in Muscularis Macrophages Limits Infection-Induced Neuronal Loss. Cell. doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2019.12.002.

AZoNetwork, © 2000-2020