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3d ago

Study Pinpoints How Smoking Shields Ulcerative Colitis and Aggravates Crohn's

Published in Gut, the work ties smoke-derived metabolites to colon colonization by oral Streptococcus, suggesting probiotic or metabolite approaches as safer prospects.

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The researchers don't recommending smoking to deal with ulcerative colitis, but believe they may have found a way to harness its beneficial effects without the negatives

Overview

  • RIKEN-led researchers report that smokers with ulcerative colitis carry mouth-associated Streptococcus in the colonic mucosa, a pattern not seen in ex-smokers.
  • Metabolomic profiling linked smoking to elevated hydroquinone, which in mice promoted Streptococcus growth within the gut’s mucus layer.
  • Administering Streptococcus mitis to mouse models reduced inflammation in ulcerative colitis but worsened it in Crohn's disease.
  • Mechanistically, S. mitis induced Th1 responses that counter Th2-driven inflammation in ulcerative colitis yet exacerbate Th1-driven pathology in Crohn's disease.
  • The authors propose exploring targeted microbes or hydroquinone-like metabolites as potential therapies, stressing that smoking remains unsafe and clinical testing is still needed.