The National Institutes of Health found that the dual-specific dephosphatase six (dusp6) gene has the function of controlling the health of the intestinal epithelial barrier and the balance of the intestinal microflora. From the left are postdoctoral researcher Zhang Chengxiang, associate researcher Gao Chengyuan, and Liang Genyi of the Center for Immunology, National Institutes of Health Dean. (Photo/Provided by the National Health Service)
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) covers two types of chronic intestinal inflammatory diseases, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD), because there is currently no cure method and drug, which affects the life of patients. and healthcare financial burdens have long-term implications and are important healthcare issues in countries around the world. There is also a significant increase in IBD in Taiwan. At the same time, patients have a higher chance of developing comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and neurological and psychiatric diseases. It is foreseeable that it will have an impact on health care expenditures.
In recent years, everyone has gradually understood that the intestinal flora plays a heavyweight role in the human body. The total weight is less than 0.2 kg, but the total number of bacteria is more than the total number of cells in the body. It silently affects the health and physiological balance of the body. The last organ found”. The team of associate researcher Gao Chengyuan from the Center for Immunomedicine Research of the National Institutes of Health has studied the intestinal microbiota for many years and found that the bispecific dephosphatase six (dusp6) gene has the function of controlling the health of the intestinal epithelial barrier and the balance of the intestinal microflora. The bacteria that may be able to resist enteritis are expected to be used to improve leaky gut and intestinal inflammation-related diseases. The research results were published in the “Cell” series of internationally renowned journals “Cell Reports” in November 110.
Since 2012, the research team has used dusp6 knockout mice to conduct gut microbiota studies and found that mice lacking the dusp6 gene have increased growth of microvilli on intestinal epithelial cells, and have stronger intestinal epithelial tight junctions and barrier integrity. It has a protective effect on colitis in mice. Using next-generation sequencing transcriptomics and phosphorylated proteomics and other multi-somatic techniques and cell and molecular biological analysis, it was found that the lack of dusp6 gene inhibits the glycolytic pathway of intestinal epithelial cells, and at the same time improves the utilization of lipids, resulting in the formation of granules. The oxygen consumption rate of the thread is increased, the extremely low oxygen environment in the intestine is maintained, the content of absolute anaerobic bacteria can be maintained, and the balance of the intestinal microflora is maintained.
Aiming at the epithelial barrier and flora of dusp6 knockout mice, which are more resistant to enteritis, especially the ability to retain absolute anaerobic bacteria, the research team further transformed the intestinal flora of dusp6 knockout mice to a generally small size. Mice are also more resistant to enteritis. Then, using microbiology and culture analysis methods, a new intestinal strain NHRI-C1-KH-1-87 of the genus Duncaniella was screened in the flora, and this was confirmed. Strain NHRI-C1-KH-1-87 has the effect of slowing down enteritis.
More and more evidence shows that leaky gut and imbalance of gut microbiota are associated with a considerable number of diseases. With the new findings of the team from the National Institutes of Health Immunology Research Center, whether it is through the gut microbiota, from genetics. Starting from regulation, or using a single strain of bacteria, is expected to bring new opportunities for the treatment or prevention of inflammatory bowel diseases, which can not only improve the quality of life of patients with enteritis, reduce medical expenses for related derived diseases, and maintain intestinal bacteria. Phase balance prevents the occurrence of inflammatory bowel diseases, and also reduces the derivation of related diseases. It has strong plasticity and application prospects in the research and treatment of related diseases.