Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), a potent Th1 cytokine with multiple biological functions, can induce autophagy to enhance the clearance of the invading microorganism or cause cell death. We have reported that Concanavalin A (Con A) can cause autophagic cell death in hepatocytes and induce both T cell-dependent and -independent acute hepatitis in immunocompetent and immunodeficient mice, respectively....

Autophagy describes at least three metabolic pathways that deliver cytoplasmic constituents for lysosomal degradation (1). While microand chaperone-mediated autophagy engulf or translocate cytosolic material at the late endosomal or lyosomal membrane, respectively, macroautophagy can use different membrane sources, including endoplasmic reticulum, Golgi, plasma membrane, mitochondria, and outer...

The results of recently completed genome-wide association studies have advanced knowledge of infl ammatory bowel disease (IBD) genetics, including the identifi cation of over 30 genes or loci associated with Crohn ’ s disease (CD). The possibility of interactions between genes, referred to by the term epistasis , needs to be carefully considered as both genetic and functional studies in IBD mov...

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with an eitologically complex pathology. Current evidence implicates dysregulation of the immune response to intestinal microflora and a parallel defect in maintenance of the epithelial barrier. The host genetic makeup is a key variable that underlies risk of disease, as highlighted by genomewide association studies (GWAS). This...

The control of gut homeostasis by autophagy in the context host-microbiota relationship remains poorly understood. In this issue Developmental Cell, Nagai et al., 2021Nagai H. Tatara Tanaka-Furuhashi K. Kurata S. Yano T. Homeostatic regulation ROS-triggered Hippo-Yki pathway via autophagic clearance Ref(2)P/p62 Drosophila intestine.Dev. Cell. 2021; 56 (this issue): 81-94Abstract Full Text PDF S...

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common form of inflammatory bowel disease with a complex aetiology. As part of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2, we performed a genomewide association scan for UC in 2361 cases and 5417 controls. Loci showing evidence of association at P < 1 × 10−5 were followed up by genotyping in an independent set of 2321 cases and 4818 controls. We find genome-wide s...

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a common form of inflammatory bowel disease with a complex aetiology. As part of the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium 2, we performed a genomewide association scan for UC in 2361 cases and 5417 controls. Loci showing evidence of association at P < 1 × 10−5 were followed up by genotyping in an independent set of 2321 cases and 4818 controls. We find genome-wide s...