Chinese scientists reveal potential driver of ulcerative colitis

NANJING -- A research team from Nanjing University has discovered a novel gut bacterium that acts as a potential driver of ulcerative colitis, paving the way for new treatment approaches. The findings were published on Friday in the journal Science.

Ulcerative colitis is characterized by chronic abdominal pain, diarrhea, and bloody, purulent stools. According to Zhu Minsheng, a professor at the university, current treatments only relieve inflammatory symptoms rather than providing a cure, due to unclear pathogenic mechanisms. Some severe cases require colectomy, which carries significant side effects and high recurrence rates.

The team discovered aerolysin in fecal bacterial cultures from ulcerative colitis patients and isolated the pathogen responsible for its production. Whole-genome sequencing and physiological-biochemical tests identified these strains as a novel Aeromonas subspecies, named MTB.

In a cohort of 79 Chinese patients, over 70 percent tested positive for MTB in their stool samples. "Unlike other Aeromonas species, MTB has a strong intestinal colonization ability," said Jiang Zhihui, first author of the study.

"Antibiotic overuse or intestinal damage can promote MTB colonization, and its persistent presence in the gut contributes to the high recurrence rate of ulcerative colitis," Jiang added.

Zhu revealed that the team has prepared anti-aerolysin neutralizing antibodies, which have produced promising results in mouse models.