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New Defense Mechanism Against Intestinal Inflammation Found

A very intersting New Study

New Defense Mechanism Against Intestinal Inflammation Found

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080312141253.htm

The body's first line of defence against pathogenic bacteria that we ingest may not be the immune system but rather the cells that line the intestine. This surprising conclusion is just one facet of a study by Dr. Maya Saleh, a researcher at the Research institute of the McGill University Health Centre that will be published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe on March 12.

Crohn's disease is the chronic inflammation of the digestive tract, and its specific causes are unknown. What is known, however, is that this pathology is linked to a genetic mutation in the Nod pathway. "This study allows us to consider three possible explanations for Crohn's disease: the Nod pathway mutation could induce either a lack of bacterial "sensing" or a hyperactivation of the immune system resulting in both cases in excessive inflammation against bacteria naturally present in the digestive system; it is also possible that the pathology is caused by an excessive and recurring reaction against a pathogenic microorganism," says Dr. Saleh. The debate is now open.

In each of these cases, medication targeting Caspase-12 would decrease inflammation symptoms by directly attacking the underlying cause.
 
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