Crohn's disease causes inflammation anywhere along the digestive tract and can be a serious, lifelong condition. Microbiome research is illuminating why some people develop Crohn's — and opening doors to new therapies.
Crohn's patients show a striking loss of microbial diversity, particularly of bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) which protect the gut lining. A 'leaky gut' caused by this imbalance allows microbes to trigger inflammatory immune responses. Researchers are studying whether repopulating the microbiome with specific strains can suppress this immune overreaction and heal the intestinal barrier.