Genetic study links defects in sugar digestion to irritable bowel syndrome
The research points to sucrose, among other sugars, as a key trigger of bowel symptoms in individuals with a genetic predisposition to carbohydrate maldigestion, opening doors for personalized nutrition
2025-02-17
(Press-News.org)
Sucrase-isomaltase (SI) is an intestinal enzyme critical for the digestion of dietary carbohydrates, particularly sucrose and starch. Previous studies from the Gastrointestinal Genetics team at CIC bioGUNE - BRTA and LUM University suggested a genetic link between SI defects and IBS, whereby certain DNA changes cause reduced enzymatic activity and inefficient digestion of carbohydrates, thus inducing symptoms like bloating, diarrhoea, and abdominal pain. As the name gives away, however, SI is a special case in that it encompasses two enzymes with different carbohydrate-digesting properties (sucrase and isomaltase), both found on the SI protein encoded by a single gene. While earlier research associated SI genetic defects with IBS and responses to low-carb diets, it was unclear whether sucrase and isomaltase play distinct roles in disease risk and symptom severity.
In the new study, the Gastrointestinal Genetics team now analysed genetic and health data from over 360,000 individuals in the UK Biobank, and found that individuals with defective sucrase variants were exposed to a significantly higher risk of IBS, while those with isomaltase defects were not affected. At the same time, sucrase (but not isomaltase) defective carriers experienced more severe bowel symptoms, and were more likely to avoid sucrose-rich foods. “On top of maltose from starch (which is also digested by other enzymes), sucrase has the unique ability to break down sucrose” said senior author Mauro D’Amato, Professor of Medical Genetics at LUM University and Ikerbasque Research Professor at CIC bioGUNE, “and it may be so that this sugar triggers bowel symptoms in individuals with genetic defects associated with reduced sucrase function. This not only contributes to understanding IBS risk in people predisposed to carbohydrate maldigestion, but also supports the idea of tailoring their dietary treatment based on genetics.”
IBS affects millions worldwide, often with unclear pathogenesis and limited treatment options. This study reinforces the importance of digestive enzyme genetics in IBS predisposition, and provides rationale for dietary modifications - such as reducing sucrose intake - in genetically susceptible individuals. “While further studies are needed to validate these initial findings”, added Mauro D’Amato, “our results bear potential implications for the development of novel diagnostic tools, dietary strategies, and even enzyme-targeted therapies towards personalized approaches to IBS prevention and treatment”.
The study involved researchers from Spain (CIC bioGUNE), Italy (LUM University and University of Naples) and Germany (University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover), and received funding from the Spanish Government MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 (PCI2021-122064-2A) and the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research BMBF (01EA2208B) under the umbrella of the European Joint Programming Initiative “A Healthy Diet for a Healthy Life” (JPI HDHL) and of the ERA-NET Cofund ERA-HDHL (GA N° 696295 of the EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme).
Reference: Domain-specific effects of sucrase-isomaltase genotype in irritable bowel syndrome. Torices L, Bonfiglio F, Esteban-Blanco C, Zamfir-Taranu A, Naim HY, D’Amato M. Gastroenterology. DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2025.01.242.
END
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
2025-02-17
BINGHAMTON, N.Y. -- Binghamton University maintains its status as an R1 institution for its prolific research activity, according to a new list from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.
Every three years, the Carnegie Classification looks at schools’ research expenditures and graduate programs to evaluate which campuses can be considered an R1 institution for “very high spending and doctorate production.”
Schools with this designation must spend at least $50 million on research and development and award at least 70 research doctorates. Binghamton wrapped ...
2025-02-17
Cut open a bone and you’ll see a subtly disordered structure. Tiny beams, called trabeculae, connect to one another in irregular patterns, distributing stress and lending bones an impressive toughness. What if human-made materials could exhibit similar properties?
In a new paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus, researchers at Penn Engineering, Penn Arts & Sciences and Aarhus University found that adding just the right amount of disorder to the structure of certain materials can make them more than twice as resistant to cracking.
The finding opens the door to more widespread use of so-called “mechanical metamaterials,” ...
2025-02-17
In the parable of the blind men and the elephant, several blind men each describe a different part of an elephant they are touching – a sharp tusk, a flexible trunk, or a broad leg – and disagree about the animal’s true nature. The story illustrates the problem of understanding an unseen, or latent object based on incomplete individual perceptions. Likewise, when researchers study brain dynamics based on recordings of a limited number of neurons, they must infer the latent patterns of brain dynamics that generate these recordings.
“Suppose you and I both engage in a mental task, ...
2025-02-17
As the world moves toward sustainability, the demand for efficient alternatives across industries continues to grow. Ammonia, a key chemical used in fertilizers, explosives, and various other products, is primarily synthesized through the energy-intensive Haber-Bosch process. This process requires extremely high temperatures and pressures, contributing to global carbon dioxide emissions. Conventional catalysts, such as iron and ruthenium, rely on these harsh conditions to drive the reaction. However, a recent study by researchers from Institute of Science Tokyo, the National Institute for Materials Science, and Tohoku University, Japan, led by Professor Masaaki Kitano, explores ...
2025-02-17
Thousands of single changes in the nucleotides that make up the human genome have been associated with an increased risk of developing cancer. But until now, it’s not been clear which are directly responsible for the uncontrolled cellular growth that is the hallmark of the disease and which are simply coincidences or minor players.
Stanford researchers have conducted the first large-scale screen of these inherited changes, called single nucleotide variants, and homed in on fewer than 400 that are essential to initiate and drive cancer growth. These variants control several common biological ...
2025-02-17
New York, NY [February 17, 2025]—Scientists at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai have developed a lipid nanoparticle system capable of delivering messenger RNA (mRNA) to the brain via intravenous injection, a challenge that has long been limited by the protective nature of the blood-brain barrier.
The findings, in mouse models and isolated human brain tissue, were published in the February 17 online issue of Nature Materials [10.1038/s41563-024-02114-5]. They demonstrate the potential of this technology to pave the way for ...
2025-02-17
In September 2018, a wildfire burned nearly two thousand hectares of shrubland on the Pichu Pichu volcano, an ecologically significant area in the Peruvian Andes. Unlike Mediterranean ecosystems, where vegetation has evolved strategies to withstand fire, the volcanic soils of Arequipa—one of the driest regions in the world—are not adapted to wildfire disturbances. A Miguel Hernández University of Elche (UMH) research team collected and analyzed soil samples from the burned area at 3,700 meters above sea level to understand how these fragile ecosystems ...
2025-02-17
These include those linked to body image, fatherhood and sexual relationships. His latest book - Current Issues Facing Men and Boys – also argues that men struggle to negotiate harmful notions of masculinity and are not included in conversations around gender.
Current Issues Facing Men and Boys urges the public, policymakers, practitioners and other key stakeholders to explore and support policies and practices that promote male wellbeing. This book comes as the UK government announces plans for the country's first men's health strategy, aiming ...
2025-02-17
For teens who may be self-conscious about issues such as acne scarring or discolored teeth, non-surgical cosmetic procedures are an increasingly popular way to address their concerns.
And some parents are supportive of this decision, a national poll suggests, with a sixth saying teenagers should be allowed to receive these types of aesthetic treatments for any reason as long as they have parental approval.
But half of parents only support teens getting non-surgical cosmetic procedures if there’s a valid reason – and their beliefs about which reasons count as valid differ – according to ...
2025-02-17
This September, recipients of the Abel Prize, ACM A.M. Turing Award, ACM Prize in Computing, Fields Medal, IMU Abacus Medal and the Nevanlinna Prize are invited to gather in Heidelberg to meet with 200 young researchers from all over the world at the 12th Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF). In order to reach a broader, more diverse and international audience, the Heidelberg Laureate Forum Foundation (HLFF) encourages journalists to cover the event and affords them the chance to interact with the preeminent scientists of mathematics and computer science. The 12th HLF will take ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
[Press-News.org] Genetic study links defects in sugar digestion to irritable bowel syndrome
The research points to sucrose, among other sugars, as a key trigger of bowel symptoms in individuals with a genetic predisposition to carbohydrate maldigestion, opening doors for personalized nutrition
