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    A single gene shapes gut health and IBD risk: two studies reveal the gene PTPN2’s role in protecting the gut from harmful bacteria linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
    Science

    A single gene shapes gut health and IBD risk: two studies reveal the gene PTPN2’s role in protecting the gut from harmful bacteria linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)


    A single gene shapes gut health and IBD risk: two studies reveal the gene PTPN2’s role in protecting the gut from harmful bacteria linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

    https://news.ucr.edu/articles/2026/01/23/how-single-gene-shapes-gut-health-and-ibd-risk

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      >“Our findings help explain why certain people are more prone to ongoing gut inflammation,” McCole said. “The research also points to potential treatment strategies that could restore gut defenses and limit harmful bacteria in patients who are genetically at risk for IBD.”
      >
      >In the first paper, “The PTPN2 rs1893217 IBD risk allele increases susceptibility to AIEC invasion by a JAK-STAT-CEACAM6 axis,” the researchers examined gut tissue from IBD patients with the faulty PTPN2 gene, as well as lab-grown gut cells engineered with the same genetic change. They found that when PTPN2 is not functioning, gut cells produce more “docking sites” on their surface, allowing AIEC to enter the cells more easily.
      >
      >“We also found that treatment with a medication already used to treat IBD, called a JAK inhibitor, could partially reduce this problem by limiting the bacteria’s ability to invade gut cells,” McCole said. “Our findings suggest that JAK inhibitors may help control harmful bacterial growth in people genetically predisposed to IBD.”
      >

      [The PTPN2 rs1893217 IBD risk allele increases susceptibility to AIEC invasion by a JAK-STAT-CEACAM6 axis – PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40624731/)

      >In the second paper, “Intestinal epithelial PTPN2 limits pathobiont colonization by immune-directed antimicrobial responses,” the researchers report that PTPN2 helps gut lining cells fight bacteria such as AIEC by producing natural bacteria-killing substances and maintaining a strong gut barrier.
      >
      >“This protection works against normal gut bacteria as well as harmful bacteria, such as AIEC,” McCole said. “When PTPN2 functions properly, it helps prevent bad bacteria from entering gut cells and triggering inflammation.”

      [Intestinal epithelial PTPN2 limits pathobiont colonization by immune-directed antimicrobial responses – PubMed](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40955058/)