Comments on research published nov 2007

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soupdragon69

ele mental leprechaun
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Thought I would post this article from the NACC (National Association for Colitis and Crohns) here in the UK for those of you that ponder. It makes interesting reading I think. Cathryn Edwards mentioned is the new medical editor for the NACC.

The article itself is: Microbial Mannan Inhibits Bacterial Killing by Macrophages: A possible Pathogenic Mechanism for Crohn's Disease. Gastroenterology. November 2007, Vol 133, 5, 1487-1498.

The journal Gastroenterology has published new research into the cause of Crohn's Disease in which researchers report that a substance called Mannan may inhibit the immune system by disabling the macrophages - a type of white blood cell - that kill harmful bacteria.

The researchers from University of Liverpool, funded by the Medical Research Council, suggest this might be a possible pathogenic mechanism for Crohn's Disease.

Richard Driscoll, Director of NACC comments: "The study suggests there is a defect in one part of the body's immune system, the macrophages, that might then lead on to Crohn's Disease. The suggestion links in with some exciting progress recently in genetics research into Crohn's Disease, which is pointing strongly to a problem with the handling of bacteria or bacterial products in the gut.

"Research into which bacteria and why has to be a strong focus for futrue research into Crohn's Disease, which makes this paper so interesting. However, it is too early in the research to say whether this will lead to successful new treatments".

Professor Jon Rhodes, from the University's Schoold of Clinical Sciences who led the team said: "Mycobacterium Paratuberculosis has been found within Crohn's Disease tissue BUT there has been much controversy concerning its role in the disease.

"We have now shown that these Mycobacteria release a complex molecule containing a sugar called mannose. This molecule prevents macrophages from killing internalised E.Coli".

Scientistes have previously shown that people with Crohn's Disease have increased numbers of a "sticky" type of E. Coli and weakened the ability to fight off intestinal bacteria. The suppressive effect of the Mycobacterial molecule on this type of white blood cell suggests it is a likely mechanism for weakening the body's defence against the bacteria.

Professor Rhodes added: " We also found that this bacterium is a likely trigger for a circulating antibody (ASCA) that is found in about two thirds of patients with Crohn's Disease, suggesting that these people may have been infected by the Mycobacterium".

The team is beginning clinical trails to assess whether an antibiotic combination can be used to target the bacteria contained in white blood cells as a possible treatment for Crohn's Disease.


Cathryn Edwards comments: "The study itself is high quality research and suggests that another possible mechanism of disease is at play in Crohn's.

"It also gives possible new insights (these are still hypotheses) into the old arguments about whether or not Mycobacterium Avium Paratuberculosis (MAP) has a causal link with Crohn's Disease.

"The real issue is not whether there is an association between Crohn's Disease tissue and DNA (genetic material) from MAP: studies have demonstrated this already. The real issue is whether or not this link is not just a link but a cause of the disease. "Making the step between MAP being linked with CD to saying that it is the cause of CD is a huge scientific leap, and at present there is not sufficient evidence for this. Indeed, there are many arguments against MAP being a causal factor for Crohn's.

"We do know however that some of the important genes for CD may make it more likely that the body has a defetive response to organisms like MAP".

"Professor Rhodes' study may have found a link (the mannan molecule) between the observations about MAP and the mechanism by which the body's defences are weakened in CD. As ever in medicine we wait with great interest for further studies.

"There are no immediate treatment conclusions to be made from this study. However, in a study published last year, antibiotics against mycobacteria combined with prenisolone were compared to prednisolone alone in the treatment of patients with CD. This study showed only a short lived benefit for those CD patients receiving the combined antibiotic and steroid treatment".

I thought this was an interesting piece of research but I reckon we all could have told them about the combo with pred and antibiotics only works short term eh?
 
Well, if it's mannose at fault, wouldn't women be immune? (Ok, don't hit me so hard.... I'm an old fellow with a weak wit, and I may deserve it, but cant' handle it)

OK, foolishness aside... VERY interesting reading. Nice to see that theories like MAP MAY be 'felt' to be out of the loop at times; but the minute 'new' evidence springs up... 'they' re-evaluate with apparently open minds. Figure one of these days they'll see the 'whole' picture, and come up with treatment/cure.
 
Interesting findings....

Well I remember last year sometime at an appointment with one of the previous GI's, he was briefing me on the recent findings of the actual chromosome that contained the Crohns trait...meaning they found in the DNA makeup where the patient had been "marked" as to having the disease....I think that was the set of findings at least from what I remember...I may have worded that wrong....but I wonder if they can find on the DNA where it is, if next, they can determine if I would pass it down to any children, what are the chances...etc.... I worry that in years to come if I have a family that I would let this demon carry on it's own legacy.....

We already know though, that it's highly genetic, and one statistic I found said about 1 in five Crohns patients have an immediate family member with it too...I guess what I wonder is can they find risks for passing it on, kind of like how they are researching autism likelihood in 2 prospective parents...I don't know if I'm making sense medically, I don't have professional background in this....just spitballing....

I have no immediate family members with any IBD, although my family has a history of IBS....mom, brother and uncle....but IBS is like Crohns Lite if you ask me....I just fear for any unborn children that they'd have this prison of a disease, I would like it to start with me and end with me...
 
Does the above mean we should avoid foods that have the sugar mannose in them? Also how does this relate to the SCD theory; the SCD says we can only cosume monosacharides and the bad guys are disaccharides and polysaccharides (starches). But Mannose is a monosaccharide, so what now????? I don't know much about Chemistry, so I hope this makes sense to someone and he or she can shed more light on this.


Food and Nutrition: mannose
A 6-carbon (hexose) sugar found in small amounts in legumes, manna, and some gums. Also called seminose and carubinose.


http://www.answers.com/topic/mannose?cat=health

D-mannose is a simple sugar structurally related to glucose. It is absorbed slowly from the gastrointestinal tract, and then a large proportion of it is excreted into the urine.1

Where is it found?
D-Mannose is in many fruits, including Peaches, apples, oranges, cranberries, and blueberries. Shouldn't these be good for us, ripe and peeled of course :)


http://www.pccnaturalmarkets.com/health/3982003/
 
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Well the SCD is just a theory/line of thinking like you say, not an accepted factually backed set of rules, or at least that's what I've read. It's like saying that Atkins is the healthiest way to eat....just a purported concept on how to handle diet. It sounds a little early on to start drawing conclusions from the newly fresh info in the research along side a theory like SCD....too much conjecture if you ask me.
 

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