Determining which genes are altered in short bowel syndrome may assist scientists in developing future therapies for children and adults with this condition.
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‘The genetic changes resulting from short bowel syndrome (SBS) using a novel zebrafish model and by performing intensive gene sequencing have been mapped by researchers.’
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In a new study the researchers sought to determine systemic
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Investigators at Children's Hospital Los Angeles, led by Tracy C. Grikscheit, have mapped the genetic changes resulting from short bowel syndrome using a novel zebrafish model and by performing intensive gene sequencing.
This approach to determining which genes are markedly over or under expressed in SBS may assist scientists in developing future therapies for children and adults with this condition. Results of the study have been published in BioMed Central Genomics.
The research team conducted the study in zebrafish, using a validated SBS model created in the Grikscheit laboratory. This model allowed the investigators to study matched samples of small intestine from zebrafish who had bowel surgery and those who underwent "sham" or control surgery.
According to first author, Kathy A. Schall, "Most studies of SBS focus on the epithelial cells that line the intestine but this model allowed us to focus on systemic effects and the associated genetic alterations responsible for those effects."
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The upregulated genes were related to processes that include cell proliferation, acute phase response signaling, innate and adaptive immunity, bile acid regulation, production of nitric oxide and reactive oxygen species, cellular barrier maintenance and coagulation. Downregulated genes were associated with folate synthesis, gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, fatty-acid oxidation and activation and drug and steroid metabolism.
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"Knowing that these alterations are caused by SBS in the absence of intravenous nutrition provides us multiple targets for developing new therapies to modify these effects. Instead of digging in random places we now have a map to follow in our search for therapeutic approaches for SBS." Grikscheit adds that a reduction of just 10% of U.S. patients requiring home intravenous nutrition for SBS would result in an estimated saving of nearly $800 million in health care costs.
Source-Eurekalert