14 DAY TRIAL // The A20 protein is the key element in developing new drugs for chronic bowel inflammation. Scientists working with Flanders Institute for Biotechnology and Ghent University, discovered its important protective role.
The inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) defines a group of disorders in which the intestines become inflamed, probably as a result of an immune reaction of the body, against its own intestinal tissue. There are two major types of IBD: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. As ulcerative colitis affects the colon, Crohn's disease can also involve the small intestine.
Inflammation is a normal body reaction to tissue damage and infection. It appears only after several other signals, as it is quite specific. Since Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis are both chronic inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, the obvious treatment would be reinforcing the immune system.
NF-κB, TNF and A20 are the three elements part of an inflammation. The NF-κB protein plays a critical role in the inflammatory response and is activated by the Tumor Necrosis Factor. The TNF is produced by the white blood cells and plays the role of messenger between multiple cell types. This triggers the production of the A20 protein, which shuts down the NF-κB and prevents cell death.
In order to find the exact role played by the A20 protein, Geert van Loo and Rudi Beyaert with Lars Vereecke and his colleagues, studied mice intestinal epithelial cells incapable of producing this protein. The experiments showed that the cells were very sensitive to TNF-induced apoptosis (natural process of cell self-destruction) and tend to develop chronic bowel inflammation. When the intestinal epithelium breaks down, bacteria can penetrate the intestinal tissue, and triggers a systemic inflammatory response.
The A20 protein's role, normally quite limited, is extremely important in these cases. Its ability to prevent cell death makes it a very promising substance for future inflammatory bowel disease treatment.