Patients' own cells could be the key to treating Crohn's disease

Washington: A new study now sees experts developing a technique using patients' own modified cells to treat Crohn's disease. The study that has been successfully conducted on human cells is awaiting clinical trial of treatment in the next six months.

Researchers at NIHR Guy's and the St. Thomas Biomedical Research Center (BRC) have developed this technique by studying white blood cells from patients with Crohn's disease and comparing them to the cells of healthy people.

The research was published in the journal Gastroenterology.

Their discoveries have enabled CRB's cell therapy specialists to develop a treatment of taking patients' cells and cultivating them in a special culture so that they behave more like cells of healthy people.

Crohn's disease is a chronic disease that seriously affects parts of the digestive system, causing various symptoms such as diarrhea, stomach upset, fatigue and weight loss. Its causes are unknown, however, the immune system is known to play a role.

Lead author of the study, Graham Lord, said, "This is the next frontier of cell therapy, as we go beyond treating the symptoms of Crohn's disease and trying to reset the immune system to fix it. "

He added, "This is a real house-to-house treatment, as we started by observing cells and tissues donated by Guy and St Thomas patients, developed a treatment, and now begin testing. , all at the Trust. This shows how much research patients need to do, which helps to create a treatment that could help thousands more people. "

The researchers found that white blood cells, called regulatory T cells in Crohn's patients, produced less of a gut specific protein called α4β7 integrin than healthy regulatory T cells. In collaboration with specialists in the NIHR Guy's and BRC St Thomas research hubs, they have developed a cell therapy technique based on these results.

This technique involves developing cells of Crohn's disease patients with a molecule called RAR568, which restores healthy levels of α4β7 integrin. The cells are then returned to patients by intravenous infusion.

Dr. Peter Irving, co-author of the paper, said, "While the treatments available for Crohn's disease have increased in recent years, they only work in some patients. In addition, treatments have potentially serious side effects in some patients. "

According to the study's experts, the research paves the way for an attempt to use the cells of patients to treat their Crohn's disease and we hope to offer the population the opportunity to participate in the very near future.

Source: ANI