Key regulator of intestinal homeostasis identified

Scientists shows, SP140, an epigenetic reader protein mutated in a number of autoimmune disorders, is essential for macrophage function and preventing intestinal inflammation. 

While targeting SP140 may not be the best therapeutic target for Crohn’s disease, the researchers found patients who had lower levels of SP140 in their intestines were also the ones who responded better to anti-TNF therapy. “So one possibly here is perhaps through precision medicine approaches . . . to tailor these therapies,” Jeffrey said. “This study has shown the importance of epigenetic mechanisms for intestinal health and immune homeostasis more generally,” Jeffrey adds. “We could leverage that to target other epigenetic enzymes that might be overexpressed or function incorrectly.”

Artist's rendition of a macrophage in the gut and epigenome (green balls are the basic units of chromatin, with nucleosomes wrapped twice around an octamer of a histone) ELLA MARU STUDIO

Source: S. Mehta et al., “Maintenance of macrophage transcriptional programs and intestinal homeostasis by epigenetic reader SP140,” Science Immunology, doi:10.1126/sciimmunol.aag3160, 2017.