(Press-News.org) The most comprehensive cell map of the human gut to date has been created by combining spatial and single-cell data from 1.6 million cells.
Mapping the cells of the gut can provide us with further insights into what happens in conditions such as bowel cancer and Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). Using this atlas, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and collaborators uncovered a new role of a specific gut cell, highlighting its contributions to a cycle of inflammation in some individuals, possibly causing pain and distress.
The study, published today (20 November) in Nature, details how the team harmonised over 25 single-cell datasets of the human gastrointestinal (GI) tract to create the world’s largest freely-available resource of the human gut to date. This includes samples from those with health conditions as well as those without.
By having a more complete picture of the human gut in health and disease, researchers can identify any key changes or differences that could be involved in the onset of conditions such as ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, and lead to new possible targets for drug development.
This paper is one of a collection of more than 40 HCA publications in Nature Portfolio journals that represent a milestone leap in our understanding of the human body. These highly complementary studies have shed light on central aspects of human development, and health and disease biology, and have led to the development of vital analytical tools and technologies, all of which will contribute to the creation of the Human Cell Atlas1.
The GI tract is the general name for a group of organs involved in the digestive system that work together to absorb nutrients from our food and act as a barrier against pathogens. It starts at the mouth and includes the throat, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus.
GI tract conditions impact millions of lives around the world. For example, ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, which are both types of IBD, affect over seven million people worldwide2, with one in every 123 people in the UK living with IBD3. IBD symptoms can vary between people and have a huge impact on a person’s life. These include abdominal pain, diarrhoea, rectal bleeding, extreme fatigue and joint problems4.
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, starts in the large intestine and is the fourth most common cancer in the UK, with almost 43,000 people diagnosed every year5. Globally, there are around two million cases6, and it is estimated that one in 17 men and one in 20 women will be diagnosed with bowel cancer during their lifetime5.
Due to the impact of these conditions, there have been multiple single-cell studies investigating the cellular structure of the GI tract in health and disease. These studies have separate processes and labelling systems, which can create difficulties when external researchers attempt to use them.
In this latest study, researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and collaborators developed a new tool to harmonise these data, creating a standardised resource of gut cells that is available to researchers worldwide. This tool could also be applied to other organs, and help facilitate further studies.
The team merged 25 datasets, resulting in an atlas of 1.6 million cells containing both single-cell and spatial data, allowing researchers to see what cells were present, where they were located, and how they communicated with the environment around them. The atlas was created with data from tissue samples from those without GI issues, as well as those with gastric and colorectal cancers, celiac disease, ulcerative colitis, and Crohn’s disease.
The team also identified a type of gut cell that may have a role in inflammation. The cells, known as gut metaplastic cells, are known to be involved in healing the stomach lining. However, the team discovered that these cells contained genetic similarities to other GI cells involved in inflammation. They suggest that inflammation in IBD leads to changes in these metaplastic cells, which actively contributes to further inflammatory responses.
By understanding more about this cycle of inflammation, it might be possible to find new ways to prevent or treat this in IBD and possibly apply this knowledge to other tissues and conditions.
The Gut Cell Atlas is freely available, and the team has developed new processes to allow future studies to be added, creating an evolving, accessible resource for scientists.
Dr Amanda Oliver, first author from the Wellcome Sanger Institute, said: “Spatial and single-cell data provide unique information about how gut cells interact, that can be used to continue piecing together an in-depth understanding of how the human body works. Combining existing single-cell datasets allows us to create a more complete picture of the human gut and ensures that researchers can work together to continue to benefit human health. Our Gut Cell Atlas is also harmonised and freely available, and we hope that people will continue to build on this, adding in data for scientists worldwide to use.”
Dr Rasa Elmentaite, co-senior author previously at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and currently at Ensocell Therapeutics, said: “As the integrated atlas contains such a large amount of data, from people with and without gut conditions, we were able to uncover a pathogenic cell type that may play a role in some chronic conditions and could be a target for intervention in the future. This demonstrates the power of using integrated single-cell atlases in research, and I am confident that applying this approach to other tissues and organs will drive new therapeutic discoveries for a range of conditions.”
Professor Sarah Teichmann, co-senior author and co-founder of the Human Cell Atlas, previously at the Wellcome Sanger Institute and now at the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute at the University of Cambridge, said: “A detailed understanding of cells through the Human Cell Atlas will help explain many aspects of human health and disease and possibly illuminate new avenues for treatment. This harmonised Gut Cell Atlas shows what can be achieved through open collaboration with scientists worldwide, and has led to an accessible combined resource that can be used by everyone to find new ways to understand and treat disease.”
ENDS
Contact details:
Rachael Smith
Press Office
Wellcome Sanger Institute
Cambridge, CB10 1SA
07827979492
Email: press.office@sanger.ac.uk
Notes to Editors:
The Gut Cell Atlas resource can be accessed here: https://www.gutcellatlas.org/
The HCA is an international collaborative consortium whose mission is to create comprehensive reference maps of all human cells—the fundamental units of life—as a basis for understanding human health and for diagnosing, monitoring, and treating disease. The HCA community is producing high quality Atlases of tissues, organs and systems, to create a milestone Atlas of the human body. More than 3,500 HCA members from over 100 countries are working together to achieve a diverse and accessible Atlas to benefit humanity across the world. Discoveries are already informing medical applications from diagnoses to drug discovery, and the Human Cell Atlas will impact every aspect of biology and healthcare, ultimately leading to a new era of precision medicine. https://www.humancellatlas.org
V. Jairath, B. G. Feagan. (2020) Global burden of inflammatory bowel disease. The Lancet. DOI: 10.1016/S2468-1253(19)30358-9
New research shows over 1 in 123 people in UK living with Crohn’s or Colitis. (2022) Crohn’s & Colitis UK, available at: https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/news-stories/news-items/new-research-shows-over-1-in-123-people-in-uk-living-with-crohn-s-or-colitis [Accessed July 2024]
Symptoms, Crohn’s & Colitis UK, available at: https://crohnsandcolitis.org.uk/info-support/information-about-crohns-and-colitis/all-information-about-crohns-and-colitis/symptoms?parent=23151&page=1&tags=&category=23151&sort=newest
Bowel cancer. (reviewed June 2024) Bowel Cancer UK, available at: https://www.bowelcanceruk.org.uk/about-bowel-cancer/bowel-cancer/ [Accessed November 2024]
E. Morgan, M. Arnold, A. Gini, et al. (2023) Global burden of colorectal cancer in 2020 and 2040: incidence and mortality estimates from GLOBOCAN. Gut. DOI: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-327736.
Publication:
A. Oliver, N. Huang, R. Li, et al. (2024) Single-cell integration reveals metaplasia in inflammatory gut diseases. Nature. DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07571-1
Funding:
This research was part-funded by Wellcome, a full acknowledgement list can be found in the publication.
Selected websites:
About the Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI)
The Cambridge Stem Cell Institute (CSCI) is a world-leading centre for stem cell research with a mission to transform human health through a deep understanding of normal and pathological stem cell behaviour. Bringing together biological, clinical and physical scientists operating across a range of tissue types and at multiple scales, we explore the commonalities and differences in stem cell biology in a cohesive and inter-disciplinary manner. Located on a purpose-built facility on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus and housing over 350 researchers, including a critical mass of clinician scientists, the Institute integrates with neighbouring disease-focused research institutes and also serves as a hub for the wider stem cell community in Cambridge.
www.stemcells.cam.ac.uk
The Wellcome Sanger Institute
The Wellcome Sanger Institute is a world leader in genomics research. We apply and explore genomic technologies at scale to advance understanding of biology and improve health. Making discoveries not easily made elsewhere, our research delivers insights across health, disease, evolution and pathogen biology. We are open and collaborative; our data, results, tools, technologies and training are freely shared across the globe to advance science.
Funded by Wellcome, we have the freedom to think long-term and push the boundaries of genomics. We take on the challenges of applying our research to the real world, where we aim to bring benefit to people and society.
Find out more at www.sanger.ac.uk or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and on our Blog.
About Wellcome
Wellcome supports science to solve the urgent health challenges facing everyone. We support discovery research into life, health and wellbeing, and we’re taking on three worldwide health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health. https://wellcome.org/
END
Mapping 1.6 million gut cells to find new ways treat disease
2024-11-20
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
First molecule identified that promotes gut healing while inhibiting tumour progression
2024-11-20
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have found a molecule that can both help the intestines to heal after damage and suppress tumour growth in colorectal cancer. The discovery could lead to new treatments for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and cancer. The results are published in the journal Nature.
Many patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis do not respond to available treatments, highlighting the need to identify novel therapeutic strategies. In a new study published in Nature, researchers propose that promoting ...
Trends in postpartum depression by race, ethnicity, and prepregnancy BMI
2024-11-20
About The Study: In this cross-sectional study, postpartum depression (PPD) diagnosis increased significantly across all racial and ethnic groups and body mass index (BMI) categories over the past decade. While rising PPD may reflect improved screening and diagnosis practices, the persistently high rates highlight the need to develop and implement interventions to prevent the condition while expanding efforts to mitigate the impact of PPD on maternal and child health.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Darios Getahun, MD, PhD, ...
Short-term and long-term mortality risk after preterm birth
2024-11-20
About The Study: The findings of this population-based matched cohort study suggest that individuals born preterm were at an increased risk of death from birth until their third and fourth decades of life, with higher risks as gestational age decreased. Some of these associations may have been partly due to underlying health determinants that affected preterm birth and mortality. These findings suggest that preterm birth should be recognized as a risk factor for mortality and could inform preventive strategies.
Corresponding Author: To contact the corresponding author, Asma M. Ahmed, PhD, MD, MPH, email asahmed@wakehealth.edu.
To access ...
Thanksgiving special: dinosaur drumsticks and the story of the turkey trot
2024-11-20
New Haven, Conn. — Wings may be the obvious choice when studying the connection between dinosaurs and birds, but a pair of Yale paleontologists prefer drumsticks. That part of the leg, they say, is where fibular reduction among some dinosaurs tens of millions of years ago helped make it possible for peacocks to strut, penguins to waddle, and turkeys to trot.
“A good way to understand this is to take a look at drumsticks, like the ones people eat on Thanksgiving,” said Armita Manafzadeh, lead author ...
Superior photosynthesis abilities of some plants could hold key to climate-resilient crops
2024-11-20
LA JOLLA (November 20, 2024)—More than 3 billion years ago, on an Earth entirely covered with water, photosynthesis first evolved in little ancient bacteria. In the following many millions of years, those bacteria evolved into plants, optimizing themselves along the way for various environmental changes. This evolution was punctuated around 30 million years ago with the emergence of a newer, better way to photosynthesize. While plants like rice continued using an old form of photosynthesis known as C3, others like corn and sorghum developed a newer and more efficient version called C4.
There are now more than 8,000 different C4 plant ...
Human immune system is ‘ready to go’ long before birth
2024-11-20
By creating the first spatial atlas of the developing human thymus, a vital organ that trains immune cells to protect against infections and cancer, scientists have discovered that the foundation for lifelong immunity is established earlier than previously thought.
Researchers from the Wellcome Sanger Institute and their collaborators at Ghent University, Belgium, the National Institutes of Health’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others, uncovered key differences in the development of immune cells. This understanding could help scientists ...
R sounds are rough, and L sounds are smooth, according to cross-cultural study
2024-11-20
University of Birmingham Press Release
STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL: 16.00pm Wednesday 20th November UK time/11.00am Wednesday 20th November EST.
R sounds are rough, and L sounds are smooth, according to cross-cultural study
People around the world associate a trilled R sound with a rough texture and a jagged shape, and an L sound with smooth texture and a flat shape, according to the findings of a new study. Researchers believe this association may be more universal than the famous bouba/kiki effect.
New research from the University of Birmingham (UK), ...
Healthy women have cells that resemble breast cancer, study finds
2024-11-20
HOUSTON ― A new study from researchers at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center finds that, in healthy women, some breast cells that otherwise appear normal may contain chromosome abnormalities typically associated with invasive breast cancer. The findings question conventional thinking on the genetic origins of breast cancer, which could influence early cancer detection methods.
The study, published today in Nature, discovered that at least 3% of normal cells from breast tissue in ...
Cancer-like mutations in healthy cells point to origins of breast cancer
2024-11-20
Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC), BC Cancer, Harvard Medical School and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) have pinpointed what could be the early genetic origins of breast cancer—cancer-like mutations appearing in the cells of healthy women.
In a new study, the international collaborators analyzed the genomes of more than 48,000 individual breast cells from women without cancer, using novel techniques for decoding the genes of single cells. While the vast majority of cells appeared normal, nearly all of the women harboured a small number of breast cells—about 3 per cent—that carried ...
Preterm birth associated with increased mortality risk into adulthood, study finds
2024-11-20
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Nov. 20, 2024 – According to a new study from researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, being born preterm is associated with an increased risk of death from birth until the third and fourth decades of life.
The study appears online today in JAMA Network Open.
About 10% of all births worldwide are classified as preterm, which occurs when a baby is born before 37 weeks gestation. Globally, preterm birth is the leading cause of infant mortality and the second leading cause of death for children under the age of 5.
“Understanding the long-term effects of preterm birth ...