Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s are two major types of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD), which are chronic inflammatory digestive problems of unknown causes. Read this post to learn more about genetics, lifestyle factors, immune system activation, and infections that contribute to IBD.<\/p>\n
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Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two of the most frequently diagnosed subtypes of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).<\/p>\n
IBD is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases characterized by inflammation and sores in the gut lining, which can result in diarrhea, abdominal pain<\/a>, fatigue, fever, rectal bleeding, nutritional deficiencies, and weight loss<\/a> (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Crohn’s may affect any portion of the gastrointestinal tract, but mostly in the ileum (lower portion of the small intestine). It involves ulcerations of all cell layers of the gut lining (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Crohn’s disease mainly involves Th1<\/a> and Th17<\/a> overactivation (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Ulcerative colitis typically affects the colon and rectum. It involves the inflammation of the mucosal layer (innermost cell layer) of the gut (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n It is mainly a Th2<\/a> dominant condition, although in some cases it is not clear (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n None of the below factors are established causes of IBD. According to preliminary research, they may play a role in this complex disease, but the evidence is inconclusive. If you recognize one or more of these factors in your case, it doesn\u2019t mean you have IBD. If you\u2019re experiencing digestive issues, work with your doctor to get adequate diagnosis and treatment.<\/em><\/p>\n It\u2019s important to note that just because certain genotypes are associated with a condition or irregular lab marker, it doesn\u2019t necessarily mean that everyone with that genotype will actually develop the condition. Many different factors, including other genetic and environmental factors, can influence the risk of IBD.<\/em><\/p>\n If someone has Crohn’s (CD), their identical twin with the exact same genetics has a 50% chance of developing Crohn’s (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n If someone has ulcerative colitis (UC), their identical twin has a 10% chance of developing colitis (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Genetics, therefore, contributes to the development of IBD but is not the sole cause. Genes that have been associated with Crohn’s and colitis include:<\/p>\n CARD15 binds to the bacterial cell wall and activates NF-kB<\/a>, which then stimulates the production of proinflammatory signals (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n CARD15 mutation results in a defective innate immune response to gut bacteria<\/a>, which can cause dysbiosis in IBD (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n Two genetic mutations that in OCTN1 and OCTN2, SLC22A4 and SLC22A5<\/a>, respectively, have been associated with Crohn’s disease (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n These mutated genes are mostly expressed in the gut lining, macrophages, and T cells, and cause decreased carnitine<\/a> transport (R<\/a>).<\/p>\n However, there is still no direct evidence other than genetic data that demonstrate that these two genes are directly involved in the development of IBD.<\/p>\n<\/a>Characteristics of Crohn’s Disease<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Characteristics of Ulcerative Colitis<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Potential IBD Contributing Factors<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>Genetics<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
<\/a>1) CARD15 (CD)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
<\/a>2) OCTN1 and OCTN2 (CD)<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n