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Review
. 2011 Jul;27(4):321-7.
doi: 10.1097/MOG.0b013e32834661b4.

Host genetic susceptibility, dysbiosis, and viral triggers in inflammatory bowel disease

Lulu Sun  1 , Gerardo M Nava, Thaddeus S Stappenbeck
Affiliations
Review

Host genetic susceptibility, dysbiosis, and viral triggers in inflammatory bowel disease

Lulu Sun et al. Curr Opin Gastroenterol. 2011 Jul.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is thought to occur in genetically susceptible individuals. However, environmental factors, potentially including shifts in commensal microbiota, are also required to trigger disease. This review discusses some of the recent discoveries in host susceptibility and interaction with the microbial environment, and pinpoints key areas for advancement in our understanding of IBD pathogenesis.

Recent findings: Meta-analyses of genome-wide association studies have uncovered many new exciting genes associated with susceptibility loci for IBD. In addition, improved methods to analyze the commensal microbiota pave the way to better define dysbiosis and its potential role in disease. Lastly, identification of viral triggers in experimental systems suggests a potential role for viral infection in IBD.

Summary: Understanding the precise microbial and immune triggers of IBD in a genetic context will hopefully lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and the discovery of novel therapeutic approaches, including vaccination against specific viruses.

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References

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    1. Anderson CA, et al. Meta-analysis identifies 29 additional ulcerative colitis risk loci, increasing the number of confirmed associations to 47. Nat Genet. 2011 References 3 – are the most recent and comprehensive meta-analysis for CD and UC risk loci for North American/European populations.

    1. Franke A, et al. Genome-wide meta-analysis increases to 71 the number of confirmed Crohn's disease susceptibility loci. Nat Genet. 2010;42:1118–1125. References – are the most recent and comprehensive meta-analysis for CD and UC risk loci for North American/European populations.

    1. McGovern DP, et al. Genome-wide association identifies multiple ulcerative colitis susceptibility loci. Nat Genet. 2010;42:332–337. References – 5 are the most recent and comprehensive meta-analysis for CD and UC risk loci for North American/European populations.

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