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Culprit: yeast

How yeast exacerbate IBD

April 13, 2017 4:26 PM UTC

Turning an eye to the often ignored non-bacterial members of the microbiome, University of Utah researchers have shown the yeast species Saccharomyces cerevisiae can exacerbate ulcerative colitis. By uncovering the mechanism, the team has identified a treatment strategy and hopes to find a path to testing it in the clinic.

Despite the fact that the vast majority of microbiome studies focus on bacteria, a few clinical and preclinical findings have indicated that yeast can affect the severity of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs). Elevated anti-S. cerevisiae antibodies (ASCAs) have been identified in Crohn’s disease patients, and an ASCA assay is used as a diagnostic tool to differentiate Crohn’s from ulcerative colitis. However, little is known about why the antibodies are elevated or if they contribute to symptoms. ...

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