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Canadian research team publishes findings in Journal of Biological Chemistry

Montreal, January 27, 2010 鈥� A new study has found that Vitamin D, readily available in supplements or cod liver oil, can counter the effects of Crohn鈥檚 disease. John White, an endocrinologist at the Research Institute of the 看片视频 University Health Centre, led a team of scientists from 看片视频 University and the Universit茅 de Montr茅al who present their findings about the inflammatory bowel disease in the latest Journal of Biological Chemistry.

鈥淥ur data suggests, for the first time, that Vitamin D deficiency can contribute to Crohn鈥檚 disease,鈥� says Dr. White, a professor in 看片视频鈥檚 Department of Physiology, noting that people from northern countries, which receive less sunlight that is necessary for the fabrication of Vitamin D by the human body, are particularly vulnerable to Crohn鈥檚 disease.

Vitamin D, in its active form (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D), is a hormone that binds to receptors in the body鈥檚 cells. Dr. White鈥檚 interest in Vitamin D was originally in its effects in mitigating cancer. Because his results kept pointing to Vitamin D鈥檚 effects on the immune system, specifically the innate immune system that acts as the body鈥檚 first defense against microbial invaders, he investigated Crohn鈥檚 disease. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a defect in innate immune handling of intestinal bacteria that leads to an inflammatory response that may lead to an autoimmune condition,鈥� stresses Dr. White.

What Vitamin D does
Dr. White and his team found that Vitamin D acts directly on the beta defensin 2 gene, which encodes an antimicrobial peptide, and the NOD2 gene that alerts cells to the presence of invading microbes. Both Beta-defensin and NOD2 have been linked to Crohn鈥檚 disease. If NOD2 is deficient or defective, it cannot combat invaders in the intestinal tract.

What鈥檚 most promising about this genetic discovery, says Dr. White, is how it can be quickly put to the test. 鈥淪iblings of patients with Crohn鈥檚 disease that haven鈥檛 yet developed the disease might be well advised to make sure they鈥檙e vitamin D sufficient. It鈥檚 something that鈥檚 easy to do, because they can simply go to a pharmacy and buy Vitamin D supplements. The vast majority of people would be candidates for Vitamin D treatment.鈥�

鈥淭his discovery is exciting, since it shows how an over-the-counter supplement such as Vitamin D could help people defend themselves against Crohn鈥檚 disease,鈥� says Marc J. Servant, a professor at the Universit茅 de Montr茅al鈥檚 Faculty of Pharmacy and study collaborator. 鈥淲e have identified a new treatment avenue for people with Crohn鈥檚 disease or other inflammatory bowel diseases.鈥�

Funding
This study was funded by a grant from 看片视频

About the Study
The article 鈥淒irect and indirect induction by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of theNOD2/CARD15-beta defensin 2 innate immune pathway defective in Crohn鈥檚 disease,鈥� published in The Journal of Biological Chemistry, was authored by Tian-Tian Wang, Basel Dabbas, Ari J. Bitton, Hafid Soualhine, Luz E. Tavera-Mendoza, Serge Dionne, Alain Bitton, Ernest G. Seidman, Marcel A. Behr and John H. White of 看片视频 University and the 看片视频 University Health Centre in collaboration with Marc J. Servant, David Laperriere, Sylvie Mader of the Universit茅 de Montr茅al.

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