Researchers have developed a tool that measures gut-specific inflammation, potentially improving IBD diagnosis and monitoring.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have developed a tool to measure the activity of a molecule linked to gut inflammation within fecal samples, which could boost the accuracy of stool sample tests for irritable bowel disease (IBD), reducing the need for invasive, expensive procedures, experts say.
The optical tool, known as a luminescent reporter, fluoresces when it detects the molecule, with higher fluorescence indicating increased activity and inflammation. The study was published in Nature Biomedical Engineering.
IBD is a chronic illness where the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks the digestive tract, leading to long-lasting inflammation. Diagnosis and monitoring of the condition often rely on colonoscopies, where a small camera is used to examine the gut. Current IBD stool tests measure general markers of inflammation, such as the protein calprotectin, so a positive result requires further investigation to confirm the source.
Researchers studied gut tissue from IBD patients and identified high levels of an enzyme called granzyme A (GzmA) in inflamed gut tissue compared with non-inflamed tissues. GzmA is released by T cells, which usually protect the body by finding and fighting infections or abnormal cells. In IBD, T cells mistakenly see the gut as a threat and become overactive, which can lead to tissue damage and inflammation.
When tested on 150 samples from both IBD and healthy patients, combining the new tool with existing fecal calprotectin testing showed better success in identifying IBD than using calprotectin scores alone.
“The speed and sensitivity of our optical tool has the potential to accelerate future studies into the roles of the immune system in IBD, as well as improving the pathway to diagnosis,” says Marc Vendrell, PhD, study lead from the University of Edinburgh’s Institute for Regeneration and Repair, in a release. “In the future, these optical tools could also be used to help tailor treatments for IBD patients.”
Commercialization Plans
The technology will become part of IDXSense, a new company spinning out of the University of Edinburgh with support from Edinburgh Innovations, the university’s commercialization service.
“The IDXSense pre-spinout team, led by Marc Vendrell, is designing, developing and manufacturing novel, non-invasive, in-vitro diagnostic devices for IBD, and we are actively looking for partners to help us transform health outcomes in this area of unmet medical need,” says Lizzie Withington, director of venture creation at Edinburgh Innovations, in a release.
The technique could also support development of personalized IBD treatments by rapidly and accurately monitoring gut inflammation levels in response to different therapies.
ID 196604371 © Suttipun Degad | Dreamstime.com
