A role for oncostatin M in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

A new study identifies oncostatin M (OSM) as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-refractory inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and pinpoints mucosal stromal cells as key players in OSM-mediated inflammation.

Figure 1

OSM and OSMR are upregulated in severe anti-TNF-therapy-refractive IBD. West et al. demonstrate that OSM expression increases with disease severity. OSM binds to OSMR–gp130 expressed primarily on intestinal stromal cells, and increased stromal cell occupation of the lamina propria accounts for the augmented levels of OSMR present in the subset of IBD patients refractory to anti-TNF. Markedly increased levels of OSM and OSMR expression in severely inflamed colonic lesions are highly associated with anti-TNF-refractory disease.