New Crohn's genetic risk factors ID'd

Boston -- A U.S.-led science team says it has identified 21 new genetic risk factors for Crohn's disease, bringing the total number of such risk sites to 32.

The international consortium of Crohn's disease researchers combined data from three independent studies to identify the new genetic variants associated with the inflammatory bowel disorder, including several involved with the immune system's initial response to pathogens. That, said the scientists, supports earlier evidence that disruptions in a process called autophagy may lead to the disorder's characteristic immune system overactivity.

"This greatly increases our knowledge of the genetic architecture of Crohn's and gives us more detailed insight into the biological underpinnings of the disease," said Mark Daly of the Massachusetts General Hospital, the study's senior author. "Better understanding of the precise functions of these genes and the molecular effects of Crohn's-associated variants should lead us to novel strategies for therapies and, someday, prevention."

The report will appear in the journal Nature Genetics and is now available on line.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International.