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Scientists Identify Genes Linked to Crohn’s Disease
July 09, 2008 03:00 PM
The breakthrough will help doctors identify who is at risk for Crohn’s disease and design better treatments.
30-Second Summary
A study released in Nature Genetics announced the discovery of an additional 21 genes linked to Crohn’s disease, raising the total number to 32. Researchers predict that the number may rise to over 100 in the next few years.
Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects a half-million Americans, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea. It is closely related to colitis and colon cancer.
The recent findings illustrate the complexity of CD and the difficulty researchers face in finding a cure. Researchers will focus on creating drug treatments for several important genes known as “druggable targets.” They have already identified two genes involved in the immune response —IL23R and CCR6—as potential targets.
The findings will help doctors better identify who is at risk, but it is impossible to determine who will contract the disease. Also, there is currently no way to prevent the disease.
The researchers also found a link between Crohn’s disease and asthma. The gene ORMDL3, previously identified as a risk factor for childhood asthma, was identified as one of the 32 genes associated with CD.
Crohn’s disease (CD) is an inflammatory bowel disease that affects a half-million Americans, causing abdominal pain and diarrhea. It is closely related to colitis and colon cancer.
The recent findings illustrate the complexity of CD and the difficulty researchers face in finding a cure. Researchers will focus on creating drug treatments for several important genes known as “druggable targets.” They have already identified two genes involved in the immune response —IL23R and CCR6—as potential targets.
The findings will help doctors better identify who is at risk, but it is impossible to determine who will contract the disease. Also, there is currently no way to prevent the disease.
The researchers also found a link between Crohn’s disease and asthma. The gene ORMDL3, previously identified as a risk factor for childhood asthma, was identified as one of the 32 genes associated with CD.
Headline Links: Researchers discover Crohn’s disease genes
The 32 genes explain about one-fifth of the genetic risk, meaning that there are more than 100 connections that have yet to be discovered. The large number of gene links to CD makes it difficult for researchers to identify a cure. “If it had been only a half-dozen genes that led to Crohn’s disease, you could imagine splitting up the work—‘six genes, let’s beat them to death in a very traditional way,’” said Dr. John Rioux. Researchers will instead have to focus on finding treatment for specific genes or groups of genes.
Source: The Boston Globe
The study found links to several other diseases, which surprisingly included asthma. “It’s too early for us to say how Crohn’s disease and many of these other diseases, including asthma, are linked at a biological level,” says Dr Miles Parkes. “However, we are building up a picture of the biology underlying Crohn’s disease, and the more we understand about the underlying biology of these diseases, the better equipped we will be to treat them.”
Source: Science Daily
Background: Study of Crohn’s disease genes
The first Crohn’s disease gene was discovered in 2001 by two separate research teams and a second was found later in the year. A third gene was found in 2006 that linked CD to Jews of Eastern European descent. In 2007, the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium discovered an additional three as part of the largest-ever study of genetics, and other 2007 studies upped the number to 11.
Source: Science Daily
Reference: Crohn’s disease and Nature Genetics study
Crohn’s disease is a disorder in which the gastrointestinal tract becomes inflamed, causing diarrhea and abdominal pain. There is no known cure and no definitive cause, though it is believed the disease is genetically linked.
Source: Mayo Clinic
The full text of the study, “Genome-wide association defines more than 30 distinct susceptibility loci for Crohn’s disease,” is available on the Nature Genetics Web site for $32.
Source: Nature Genetics
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