Compartment-driven imprinting of intestinal CD4 T cells in inflammatory bowel disease and homeostasis.

The mucosal immune system is implicated in the etiology and progression of inflammatory bowel diseases. The lamina propria and epithelium of the gut mucosa constitute two separate compartments, containing distinct T-cell populations. Human CD4 T-cell programming and regulation of lamina propria and epithelium CD4 T cells, especially during inflammation, remain incompletely understood.

Mucosal α4β7+ Lymphocytes and MAdCAM+ Venules Predict Response to Vedolizumab in Ulcerative Colitis.

Background: Therapeutic strategies for patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) are based on patient- and disease-related factors in combination with drug characteristics but fail to predict success in individual patients. A considerable proportion of UC patients do not respond to the biological vedolizumab. Therefore, pretreatment biomarkers for therapeutic efficacy are urgently needed.

Therapeutic drug monitoring of thiopurines: Effect of reduced 6-thioguanine nucleotide target levels in inflammatory bowel disease patients.

Aims: The effect of the Dutch nationwide adjustment of reducing 6-thioguanine nucleotide (6-TGN) target values (from 600-1200 to 320-630 pmol/8 × 10 red blood cells [RBC]) on toxicity and clinical outcome of thiopurine treatment in patients with inflammatory bowel disease has not yet been established. Therefore, the authors determined the incidence of toxicity-induced discontinuations and efficacy at both target concentrations.

Methods: This retrospective study was performed in inflammatory bowel disease patients treated with azathioprine or mercaptopurine.

Mobile application to monitor inflammatory bowel disease patients on intravenous biologic treatment: a feasibility study.

Background: Monitoring of IBD patients on intravenous biologic treatment is recommended but time-consuming for patients and nurses. We developed a mobile application (app) to promote self-management and studied its feasibility in clinical practice.

Methods: Adult IBD patients treated with intravenous infliximab or vedolizumab used the app over four biologic treatments.

Homeostatic Function and Inflammatory Activation of Ileal CD8 Tissue-Resident T Cells Is Dependent on Mucosal Location.

Background & Aims: Tissue-resident memory T (Trm) cells, both of the CD4 and CD8 lineage, have been implicated in disease flares in inflammatory bowel disease. However, data are conflicting regarding the profile of human CD8 Trm cells, with studies suggesting both proinflammatory and regulatory functions. It is crucial to understand the functional profile of these cells in the context of (new) therapeutic strategies targeting (trafficking of) gut Trm cells.