Northwestern Medicine researchers uncovered that succinate, a gut metabolite, aggravates inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by impairing regulatory T-cell (Treg) function. This discovery, published in Nature Immunology, highlights succinate's role in intensifying IBD symptoms by disrupting the expression of FOXP3, a crucial protein for Tregs. The study observed that mice with elevated succinate exhibited more severe colitis symptoms. The findings provide insights into the mechanisms of IBD progression, offering potential new treatment avenues by targeting succinate levels.
The study found that elevated succinate levels in IBD patients disrupt Treg function, leading to increased inflammation, contributing to the disease's severity.
The findings suggest that succinate impacts FOXP3, a key protein in Treg function, reinforcing its role as a significant factor in inflammatory bowel disease.
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