Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Published on: 15 June 2026 Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. Researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½’s Translational and Clinical Research Institute have uncovered a key driver of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The discovery is helping to reshape understanding of the condition, showing that it is not a single disease but a group of biologically distinct disorders, each driven by different underlying mechanisms. In a study, published in the , the team analysed samples from more than 4,900 people with IBD and made two major breakthroughs. They found that a significant subset of patients develop autoimmune responses against interleukin‑10 (IL‑10) – a crucial regulator of the immune system that normally keeps inflammation in check. When this control is lost, inflammation continues unchecked. Crucially, the researchers also showed that this harmful immune response explains the effect of one of the strongest known genetic risk factors for IBD. Cracking the genetic code of IBD Sophie Hambleton, Professor of Paediatrics and Immunology at Â鶹´«Ã½, said: “This discovery shows how studying rare inherited disorders can unlock insights into more common diseases. “The groundwork was laid over a decade ago when genetic defects affecting IL‑10 were identified in young children with severe IBD. “Later, we saw that the same effect could be mimicked by neutralising antibodies to IL‑10 in rare cases. This study brings those strands together.” IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affects around 500,000 people in the UK and millions worldwide. It is a lifelong condition that often begins in adolescence or early adulthood and can require repeated hospital care, long‑term medication and sometimes surgery. Despite improvements in treatment, many patients cycle through different therapies without achieving lasting control, placing a significant burden on both quality of life and the NHS. The study found that around 3.5% of people with IBD carry high levels of anti‑IL‑10 autoantibodies in their blood, something not seen in healthy individuals. In the UK, this could represent between 15,000 and 20,000 patients. The presence of these antibodies was strongly linked to a specific genetic variant, HLA‑DRB1*01:03, a finding that builds directly on earlier work. This variant was first identified more than 30 years ago by Oxford researchers as being associated with severe IBD, but until now, the mechanism behind it was unclear. The new research shows that people with this variant are much more likely to develop antibodies that block IL‑10, helping to explain how the gene contributes to disease. Professor Sophie Hambleton Personalised treatment within reach The findings open up the possibility of a simple blood test to identify this subgroup of patients, allowing clinicians to move more quickly to tailored treatments. , Professor of Clinical Gastroenterology at the University of Oxford, added:“This is one of the most exciting advances in IBD research in decades. For the first time, we can clearly identify a group of patients where we understand the cause of their disease – and that gives us a real opportunity to change how it is treated.” Overall, the discovery represents a major step towards personalised medicine in IBD, where treatment is guided by the biology driving a patient’s condition rather than symptoms alone. Researchers from Â鶹´«Ã½, Oxford, and Cambridge led the study, supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centres in all three cities. Reference: IL-10 Autoantibodies and HLA-DRB101:03 in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Nima Gharahdaghi et al. New England Journal of Medicine. DOI: Share: Latest News Scientists unlock hidden driver of inflammatory bowel disease Scientists have linked a key genetic signal in inflammatory bowel disease to an immune response that shuts down inflammation control, enabling faster diagnosis and targeted treatments. published on: 15 June 2026 Funding system risks limiting genuine community collaboration A new policy paper written by researchers at Â鶹´«Ã½ warns that the way UK research is funded may be undermining efforts to create genuinely collaborative partnerships with communities. published on: 15 June 2026 Volunteers help turn Whitley Bay beach into maths experiment Members of the public joined mathematicians from Â鶹´«Ã½ to create what organisers believe is the largest aperiodic tiling ever attempted on Whitley Bay beach. published on: 15 June 2026 Facts and figures
![Â鶹´«Ã½ logo](/gomobileassets/img/logo.svg" "Â鶹´«Ã½"){kind=logo}