A major cause of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been discovered by scientists in Britain.<\/p>\n
Researchers found that a new biological pathway can be targeted by drugs that are already used \u2013 which can help other immune disorders that affect the spine, liver and arteries.<\/p>\n
Scientists have located a weak spot in DNA that appears to be present in 95 per cent of people with the disease.<\/p>\n
Dr James Lee, the group leader of the genetic mechanisms of disease laboratory at the Francis Crick Institute in London said: \u201cEven for pure, fundamental immunology this is a really exciting discovery.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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<\/p>\nScientists have located a weak spot in DNA that appears to be present in 95 per cent of people with the disease<\/p>\n
Getty<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\u201cBut to show this is dysregulated in people who get disease not only gives us a better understanding of the disease, it tells us this is something we can treat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Crohn\u2019s disease and ulcerative colitis are the main forms of inflammatory bowel disease.<\/p>\n
It is estimated that this affects half a million people in the UK, as the immune system attacks the bowel \u2013 causing symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhoea.<\/p>\n
One part of the immune system that is highly implicated in IBD is white blood cells called macrophages.<\/p>\n
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Lee\u2019s research team discovered a section of DNA which is macrophage\u2019s \u201cmaster regulator\u201d of inflammation.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat we have found is one of the very central pathways that goes wrong when people get inflammatory bowel disease and this has been something of a holy grail,\u201d said Dr James Lee.<\/p>\n Human trials are now set to take place.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Crohn\u2019s disease and ulcerative colitis are the main forms of inflammatory bowel disease<\/p>\n Getty<\/p>\n Dr Lee added: \u201cWe found not only how and why it goes wrong, but potentially a new way of treating these diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n Ruth Wakeman at Crohn\u2019s and Colitis UK said: \u201cCrohn\u2019s and colitis are complex, lifelong conditions for which there is no cure, but research like this is helping us to answer some of the big questions about what causes them. <\/p>\n \u201cThis research is a really exciting step towards the possibility of a world free from Crohn\u2019s and colitis.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.gbnews.com\/media-library\/image.jpg?id=52419014&width=980\")
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