Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) describes two separate disorders: Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC). Both are characterised by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal mucosa, resulting in ulceration, mucosal bleeding and diarrhoea. Defects in both the adaptive and innate immune response to antigens of bacterial origin are thought to promote these diseases.
The histopathology and molecular basis of Crohn's disease and UC are very different, with the immune response of UC that of a Th2-type, involving cytokines that include IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13. In contrast, Crohn's displays characteristics of a Th1-type response and the subsequent establishment of a Th17 response, dependent on the production of IL-12, IL-18, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-23.
Epistem's IBD service platform comprises a comprehensive range incorporating:
- Access to human diseased tissue (Crohn's and UC)
- Immunohistochemistry and Ariol image analysis
- Gene expression profiling (qRT-PCR)
In vitro compound testing:
- In vitro model of T-cell and B-cell help
- Assessment of interleukin production, by ELISA
Preclinical inflammatory bowel disease models:
- Acute models (DSS and TNBS)
- Chronic models (CD4+CD62L+ adoptive T-cell transfer and IL-10 knockout)