Subj : Study uncovers gut bacteria differences To : All From : ScienceDaily Date : Thu Jul 06 2023 22:30:32 Study uncovers gut bacteria differences in children who later develop juvenile idiopathic arthritis Date: July 6, 2023 Source: University of Florida Summary: For the first time, scientists have shown that gut bacteria differences are associated with later development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a debilitating rheumatic childhood disease, and that these differences are present years before the disease is diagnosed. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIN Email ========================================================================== FULL STORY ========================================================================== For the first time, scientists have shown that gut bacteria differences are associated with later development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis, a debilitating rheumatic childhood disease, and that these differences are present years before the disease is diagnosed. The research team, which includes scientists from the University of Florida and researchers in Sweden, made this discovery by analyzing stool samples from one- year-old children in a long-term study called All Babies in Southeast Sweden. The scientists compared bacteria found in children who went on to develop juvenile idiopathic arthritis with those who did not. "Our work suggests that an imbalance in microbes, especially the increased prevalence of several proinflammatory bacterial species, could serve as a potential indicator of future disease risk," said Angelica Ahrens, co-first author of the study and a postdoctoral associate in the UF/IFAS department of microbiology and cell science. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, or JIA, which is also called childhood arthritis and pediatric rheumatic disease, is an autoimmune disease marked by inflammation of the joints and sometimes other parts of the body. Children with JIA experience pain, swelling, stiffness and other symptoms that make daily activities challenging. Current treatments for JIA include anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections. "These treatments can help control inflammation and reduce symptoms, but they are not without their drawbacks and they do not cure the disease. There is a need to find alternative approaches, and the bacteria found in gastrointestinal tract may be a promising place to start," said Dr. Erik Kindgren, co-first author of the study and a pediatrician at Skaraborg Hospital in Sweden who treats children with JIA. While other studies have shown microbial differences in children already diagnosed with JIA, this study is the first to demonstrate that these differences are present years before children first show symptoms of the disease. The study found that children with gut bacteria known to cause inflammation were nearly seven times more likely to develop JIA. The researchers also found that bacteria known to promote a healthy gut lining were absent or reduced in children who later developed the disease. These trends held true even when the researchers controlled for factors already associated with the disease, such as being breastfed for shorter periods or early exposure to antibiotics. The scientists say the findings are a first step toward understanding what causes JIA -- the term "idiopathic" in the name means the cause of the condition is unknown. "Looking ahead, this line of discovery could lead to the development of screening tools in early pediatric wellness visits. By constructing risk profiles and implementing targeted interventions and preventative measures to reduce those risks, we may be able to prevent disease onset in some people," Ahrens said. First, though, researchers will need to understand how the bacteria identified in the study contribute to the disease. "Functionally, what are these bacteria doing in the body that leads to this disease? That's what we need to investigate next," Ahrens said. The current study only looked at a snapshot of the gut microbiome at one year of age, so future work may investigate how the gut microbiome of children with JIA progresses over time. The study's authors -- which also include Eric Triplett, chair of the UF/IFAS department of microbiology and cell science, and Dr. Johnny Ludvigsson, senior professor at Linko"ping University and both founder and leader of the All Babies in Southeast Sweden study -- plan to continue their trans-Atlantic collaboration by examining microbial differences associated with other conditions that appear in childhood. * RELATED_TOPICS o Health_&_Medicine # Arthritis # Joint_Pain # Chronic_Illness # Joint_Health o Plants_&_Animals # Bacteria # Microbes_and_More # Microbiology # Veterinary_Medicine * RELATED_TERMS o Arthritis o Mumps o Rocky_Mountain_spotted_fever o Adolescence o Scoliosis o Vaccination o COPD o Rheumatic_fever ========================================================================== Print Email Share ========================================================================== ****** 1 ****** ***** 2 ***** **** 3 **** *** 4 *** ** 5 ** Breaking this hour ========================================================================== * First_Snapshots_of_Fermion_Pairs * Why_No_Kangaroos_in_Bali;_No_Tigers_in_Australia * New_Route_for_Treating_Cancer:_Chromosomes * Giant_Stone_Artefacts_Found:_Prehistoric_Tools * Astonishing_Secrets_of_Tunicate_Origins * Most_Distant_Active_Supermassive_Black_Hole * Creative_People_Enjoy_Idle_Time_More_Than_Others * Restoring_Fragile_X_Protein_Production * Earth's_Solid_Metal_Sphere_Is_'Textured' * Elephants_Vary_Their_Dinner_Menu_Day-To-Day Trending Topics this week ========================================================================== HEALTH_&_MEDICINE Patient_Education_and_Counseling Birth_Defects Cholesterol MIND_&_BRAIN Educational_Psychology Stroke Autism LIVING_&_WELL Fitness Healthy_Aging Nutrition ========================================================================== Strange & Offbeat ========================================================================== HEALTH_&_MEDICINE Holograms_for_Life:_Improving_IVF_Success Grocery_Store_Carts_Set_to_Help_Diagnose_Common_Heart_Rhythm_Disorder_and Prevent_Stroke DNA_Can_Fold_Into_Complex_Shapes_to_Execute_New_Functions MIND_&_BRAIN AI_Tests_Into_Top_1%_for_Original_Creative_Thinking Everyone's_Brain_Has_a_Pain_Fingerprint_--_New_Research_Has_Revealed_for_the First_Time Scientists_Discover_Spiral-Shaped_Signals_That_Organize_Brain_Activity LIVING_&_WELL Illusions_Are_in_the_Eye,_Not_the_Mind Amputees_Feel_Warmth_in_Their_Missing_Hand Why_Do_Champagne_Bubbles_Rise_the_Way_They_Do?_Scientists'_New_Discovery_Is Worthy_of_a_Toast Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Florida. Original written by Samantha Murray. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. ========================================================================== Journal Reference: 1. Erik Kindgren, Angelica P. Ahrens, Eric W. Triplett, Johnny Ludvigsson. Infant gut microbiota and environment associate with juvenile idiopathic arthritis many years prior to disease onset, especially in genetically vulnerable children. eBioMedicine, 2023; 93: 104654 DOI: 10.1016/ j.ebiom.2023.104654 ========================================================================== Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/07/230706124526.htm --- up 1 year, 18 weeks, 3 days, 10 hours, 50 minutes * Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1:317/3) .