AMA VICDOC Autumn 2024 - Magazine - Page 7
I N R E V I E W: RE A D | L I ST E N | R ES E A RC H
NEW LEAD IN
GUT HEALTH
RESEARCH
-
Trobe University researchers have
L aidentified
a protein that is integral to
gut health, providing an important lead
in the search for a treatment for people
with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD).
Research published in Communications
Biology, shows for the first time that in
mice, the removal of the protein BECLIN1
causes a condition with similarities to IBD.
The study shows that removing
BECLIN1 causes problems in the internal
“trafficking” pathways of the epithelial
cells which line the intestine, leading to
a disruption of the protective barrier
the cells create.
This disruption can allow bacteria to
enter the intestinal wall, which in turn
causes the extensive inflammation
associated with IBD.
The research opens new possibilities
for investigation into new treatment
avenues for the disease, which currently
affects more than 100,000 people in
Australia alone.
Lead researchers Associate Professor
Erinna Lee and Associate Professor Doug
Fairlie, from the La Trobe Institute for
Molecular Science (LIMS) and the Olivia
Newton-John Cancer Research Institute
(ONJCRI), said this is the first time BECLIN1
has been implicated as a potential factor
in IBD, which includes conditions such as
Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis.
This research also demonstrates
the essential role BECLIN1 plays in
endocytic trafficking.
“This was unexpected, as BECLIN1 is
best known for its involvement in another
cellular process called autophagy that
does have a known and strong connection
with IBD,” Associate Professor Fairlie said.
Endocytic trafficking ensures proper
functioning by moving the cell’s internal
elements, known as “cargo”, to the right
place at the right time.
In this study, another protein called
E-CADHERIN, was identified as being an
important cargo that relies on BECLIN1
for its correct localisation within the cell.
“This makes sense because E-CADHERIN
is essential for enabling epithelial cells
to stick together. If E-CADHERIN is not
located correctly within the cell, then the
epithelial barrier lining the gut breaks
down and bacteria can penetrate the
intestinal tissue, leading to a potent
inflammatory response,” Associate
Professor Fairlie said.
Current treatments for IBD are only
able to address the disease’s symptoms
by reducing inflammation and treating
infection, but this study could open
the way for the development new
treatment options.
This research was done in collaboration
with scientists from the University of
Melbourne, the University of Queensland,
the Garvan Institute of Medical Research,
and the UK-based Francis Crick Institute and
the Institute for Liver and Digestive Health.
For further info email:
S.Smethurst@latrobe.edu.au
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