Growth of Bad Bacteria in IBD

The researchers discovered a biological mechanism by which harmful bacteria grow, edge out beneficial bacteria and damage the gut in IBD. This new understanding, published in the Feb. 8 issue of Science, may help researchers develop new treatments for IBD with fewer side effects than current therapies. IBD begins when "good" bacteria are mistakenly killed by the immune system, while harmful bacteria multiply—resulting in inflammation and damage to the intestines, and chronic episodes of abdominal pain, cramping, diarrhea and other changes in bowel habits. It's estimated that IBD, which includes ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, affects 1.4 million people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In test-tube and animal studies, the researchers found that potentially harmful bacteria in the intestine called Enterobacteriaceae use nitrate—a byproduct formed during the intestinal inflammation in IBD—to grow and thrive. Enterobacteriaceae strains include certain E. coli bacteria, which can worsen the intestinal damage of IBD. Eventually, the intestines of those with IBD become overrun by harmful bacteria, and the numbers of normal good bacteria in the gut decrease. "Much like humans use oxygen, E. coli can use nitrate as a replacement for oxygen to respire, produce energy and grow," said lead author Andreas Baumler, a professor of medical microbiology and immunology at UC Davis. "In IBD, nitrate produced by inflammation in the gut allows E. coli to take a deep 'breath,' and beat out our beneficial microbes in the competition for nutrients," he said. The inflammation in the intestines of those with IBD leads to the release of nitric oxide radicals that are powerful in attacking bacteria, Baumler explained. Yet these nitric oxide radicals are also very unstable, and eventually decompose into nitrate, which can be used by bacteria like E. coli to thrive and grow. By contrast, good bacteria in the gut grows through fermentation—a much slower process. Determining the reasons why bacteria like E. coli can edge out good bacteria in the gut is crucial for determining new ways to halt the IBD disease process, according to Baumler. Current treatments for IBD suppress the immune response through antibiotics, corticosteroids or other powerful immune-modifying drugs. But long-term side effects can limit their use and their effectiveness for IBD patients. The UC Davis team's research indicates that targeting the molecular pathways that generate nitric oxide and nitrate, as well as other molecules that feed harmful gut bacteria, could calm down and normalize the intestinal environment in IBD, Baumler noted. They are already doing research with one candidate drug that could halt the multiple pathways by which harmful bacteria thrive in IBD. "The idea would be to inhibit all pathways that produce molecules that can be used by bacteria such as E. coli for respiration and growth," Baumler said. "Essentially you could then smother the bacteria."

Read more at: http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-02-scientists-key-growth-bad-bacteria.html#jCp

Just thought I'd post this interesting news

interesting, although very preliminary, work. I went and read the actual article in Science. I was struck by the fact that this is evidence that IBD causes dysbiosis, and not dysbiosis leads to IBD.

"inflammation contributes to a bloom of nitrate-respiration–proficient Enterobacteriaceae, providing a plausible explanation for the dysbiosis associated with intestinal inflammation"

Of course dysbiosis could lead to IBD which then leads to even more dysbiosis. I think dysbiosis can lead to IBD because I believe I got IBD after lots of IV antibiotics. (the antibiotics caused disruption/dysbiosis of microbiome, which triggered IBD).

Having a drug to block the nitrate might help re-balance the gut microbiome. In this respect similar to probiotic therapy, but a drug instead of good bacteria.

... of course the inflammation is still there (only formation of nitrate subsequent to inflammation) would be blocked by the drug. The missing piece of the puzzle is why the immune system begins to attack the good bacteria in the 1st place. But, maybe more understanding about how IBD causes dysbiosis will lead to the missing puzzle pieces.

After having some issues tapering pred when I got down to around 20 mg, I've started eating a lot of spinach and sunflower seeds. Seems to have worked wonders and I'm now completely stable and symptom free at 17.5 mg and will continue my taper.

I believe many species of harmful bugs do not like an alkaline environment, and spinach is one of the most alkaline foods around.

If this continues to work for me, I'll just keep eating the stuff indefinitely.

I think the realization that inflammation creates a friendly environment for harmful flora is an important discovery, and helps explain why U.C. is a chronic cycle.

The nitrates are being formed inside your body, a product of the inflammatory response, not to do with consumption of nitrates.

I guess we need to keep using the probiotics and trying not to feed the bad guys. Exactly what SCD and GAPS promotes eh?

Thanks for the heads up about this, It's awesome that researchers might be getting to a breakthrough, at least we can hope.

Interesting. This is the very first time that I have read that our problem is actually our immune system killing the good bacteria, allowing the bad bacteria to thrive. Although many sources have reported this as a possible theory of IBD this is the first article which doesn't seem to indicate they believe this is just one of the theories, but what is actually happening.

Thanks for the good read shan (though I struggled through it a bit due to no paragraphs...not getting any younger lol).

Researchers also know that IBDers tend to have more of certain bacteria as well as less of other certain bacteria in the GI tract (which differ between CD patients and UC patients) compared to healthy people that also contributes to the development of IBD.

I have a big thread on nitrates and nitrites in food,it may not just be NO from the immune sys.

Any how arginine is the precurser to NO,perhaps others, will have to check.

We are over loaded with nitrate fertilizer,in the veggies.

I know I get worse if I supplement with arginine.

Here it is.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=38&m=2503059

Old Mike

Post Edited (Old Mike) : 2/7/2013 7:52:40 PM (GMT-7)

IBD has been around for over 100 years. @Stereo, yeah, there's is a cause to why our immune system mistakenly kills off good bacteria in our flora. Our immune systems are not functioning properly (likely for various reasons) therefore it mistakenly kills off good bacteria, doesn't produce enough or any at all some of the proper strains of some bacteria and may be over-producing other strains.

Pathogenkiller...what about over a hundred years ago when this wasn't the case? What would the theory for the cause of IBD be then?

People are focusing too much on how we've been eating in north America over our own lifetime and are trying to connect it to why "WE" have IBD...when the fact is, IBD has been around for longer that we have.

BT has existed forever. It is naturally occuring.. but I dont think there is one reason for any IBD. It's very multifactorial. But I do believe many people can recover from their IBD, not just "maintain" a haywire immune system that we got handed down and activated cause we ate at mcdonalds too much or some crap.

Lots of us experienced immune suppression when we got this after some antibiotics. I think the antibiotics let the bt or giardia or whatever to take over sometimes. Bt is one avenue. It is unlikely a cure all for UC. but it is very very interesting to me

This guy tries to tear apart theories behind it, but even in the critique they admit it might be possible for some of this stuff to happen.


http://academicsreview.org/reviewed-content/genetic-roulette/section-5/5-7-bt-genes-and-gut-survival/
http://academicsreview.org/reviewed-content/genetic-roulette/section-3/3-3-bt-crops-and-allergens/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21338670

bt, by the way, has been found in pregnant women and fetuses

"Cry toxins have specific activities against insect species of the orders Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies), Diptera (flies and mosquitoes), Coleoptera (beetles), Hymenoptera (wasps, bees, ants and sawflies) and nematodes. Thus, B. thuringiensis serves as an important reservoir of Cry toxins for production of biological insecticides and insect-resistant genetically modified crops. When insects ingest toxin crystals, the alkaline pH of their digestive tract denatures the insoluble crystals, making them soluble and thus amenable to being cut with proteases found in the insect gut, which liberate the cry toxin from the crystal.[8] The Cry toxin is then inserted into the insect gut cell membrane, forming a pore."

A pore eh? How bout some ulcerative large pores?

It makes the insect's gut susceptible through activating an enzymatic processes to its own proteases? making a pore.. hrmm interesting huh? Makes me wanna buy stock in tinfoil :)

Corn, soy.. canola.. those are the most pervasive. I think Papaya and some squashes too.