New therapeutic approach: Hope for patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease!

New therapeutic approach: Hope for patients with chronic inflammatory bowel disease!

The Medical University of Vienna today announces encouraging progress in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In a recent study, an interdisciplinary research team investigated how targeted modification of the protein filamin A can help reduce inflammation in the intestines. The research is published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine and could offer a new approach to therapy, particularly for diseases such as ulcerative colitis.

Filamin A plays a crucial role in the processes of immune cells and its modified form can be detected in the healthy intestine, but decreases in acute inflammatory conditions. According to the results of this study, the localized RNA-induced change in filamin A shows a protective effect, which led to less tissue damage and milder disease in mouse models of ulcerative colitis. These positive influences are explained not only by differences in the intestinal flora, but also by altered reaction patterns of immune cells, such as neutrophils and macrophages, which can be achieved through controlled RNA editing.

A health policy problem child

More and more people are suffering from IBD, which is a significant health policy problem not only in Austria, but also in many other countries, including Germany. The prevalence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis has steadily increased, affecting over 3.5 million people in North America and Europe alone. The causes are complex and range from genetic factors to environmental influences on the microbiome and the barrier function of the intestinal mucosa. In Germany, the prevalence of Crohn's disease is 100-200 per 100,000 inhabitants, while ulcerative colitis affects 160-250 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Proven therapeutic approaches such as 5-aminosalicylic acid preparations are used, especially for ulcerative colitis, which occurs in episodes and is often difficult to treat. For more severe cases, biologics such as infliximab and adalimumab are used. Despite these treatment options, a significant proportion of patients remain refractory to treatment, meaning that they often require surgical treatment.

Important insights for the future

The study on RNA editing of filamin A shows that it is not just conventional therapeutic approaches that are important. The positive influence of the modified form of the protein could lead to the development of new treatment methods in the future. In addition to the significance of the results in the mouse model, further studies are necessary to confirm the findings and possibly pave the way for innovative therapies.

The research team will also continue to investigate aspects of the immune response, hoping to further deepen the understanding of IBD. In the long term, this could lead to an approach that not only relieves symptoms but also addresses the causes of the disease. This study will blow a new wind into the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, opening up new perspectives for both patients and treating physicians.

For further information about the study, it is worth taking a look at the articles from Meduni Vienna, PubMed and the detailed analysis PMC.