Controlling Crohn's

Nov. 7, 2002 (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- New research may allow patients with Crohn's disease to live symptom-free, says Peter Mannon, M.D., of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. In an interview with Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Dr. Mannon explained how a new treatment is helping patients with Crohn's improve their quality of life.

In the treatment, doctors would take advantage of a naturally occurring substance known as GCSF. GCSF is a growth factor approved for use in chemotherapy patients to boost a low white blood cell count brought about by the toxic treatment. GCSF helps patients fight infections their body otherwise would not be able to fight. Now, researchers are showing GCSF can also help Crohn's patients.

Crohn's is an autoimmune disease where the body attacks itself rather than only attacking foreign objects. When Crohn's patients were treated with GCSF, researchers found an unexpected immune response -- the receptor for IL12 was downregulated. IL 12 is a substance in the immune system that becomes overproduced in Crohn's, and it is IL 12 that causes the inflammation characteristic of Crohn's.

Dr. Mannon says using GCSF in Crohn's patients could instruct the immune system how to react to foreign attackers and how to regulate inflammatory responses by the body.

More research is needed before doctors can confirm the success of this approach.

SOURCE: Ivanhoe Health Correspondent Liz Rosenblum's interview with Peter Mannon, M.D., Oct. 30, 2002

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