Overreacting gut cells may be the cause of irritable bowel syndrome

 

In mice, epithelial cells in the stomach remain active even after an irritant or infection has passed, suggesting that this might be the source of persistent gut discomfort associated with irritable bowel syndrome.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients may feel persistent gut discomfort as a result of long-term stimulation of uncommon gut cells. Even after irritants have left the gut, these cells in mice continue to respond to them.

IBS affects up to 15% of the US population and is twice as frequent in women as it is in men. Symptoms include bloating, stomach discomfort, and hypersensitivity to specific meals and allergens, despite the fact that...