Search

Contains fulltext : 294343.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) BACKGROUND: Outpatient visits and laboratory assessments are routinely scheduled every 3 to 4 months in thiopurine-treated patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) to timely detect thiopurine-related adverse events (AEs). AEs that require therapy adjustment beyond 12 months of treatment are rare. AIM AND METHODS: This single-center prospective cohort study evaluated the safety of a reduced 6-monthly monitoring strategy in steroid-free patients with quiescent IBD on stable dose of azathioprine, mercaptopurine, or thioguanine monotherapy. The primary outcome was thiopurine-related AEs requiring therapy adjustments during a follow-up period of 24 months. Secondary outcomes included all AEs including laboratory toxicity, disease flares until 12 months, and the net monetary benefit from this strategy concerning IBD-related health care use. RESULTS: We enrolled 85 patients with IBD (median age 42 years, 61% Crohn's disease, 62% female), with a median disease duration of 12.5 years and median thiopurine treatment duration of 6.7 years. During follow-up, 3 patients (4%) ceased thiopurines due to AEs: recurrent infections, non-melanoma skin cancer, and gastrointestinal complaints (nausea, vomiting). At 12 months, 25 laboratory toxicities were observed (including 13% myelotoxicity, 17% hepatotoxicity); none required therapy adjustments and all were transient. A reduced monitoring strategy had a net benefit of €136 per patient. CONCLUSION: Three patients (4%) ceased thiopurine therapy due to thiopurine-related AEs, while no laboratory toxicity required therapy adjustments. Monitoring frequency of every 6 months seems feasible in patients with stable IBD on long-term (median duration > 6 years) maintenance thiopurine therapy and may contribute to reduced patient-burden and health care costs. 01 juli 2023

Item does not contain fulltext BACKGROUND: Despite its effectiveness in treating Crohn's disease, adalimumab is associated with an increased risk of infections and high health-care costs. We aimed to assess clinical outcomes of increased adalimumab dose intervals versus conventional dosing in patients with Crohn's disease in stable remission. METHODS: The LADI study was a pragmatic, open-label, multicentre, non-inferiority, parallel, randomised controlled trial, done in six academic hospitals and 14 general hospitals in the Netherlands. Adults (aged ≥18 years) diagnosed with luminal Crohn's disease (with or without concomitant perianal disease) were eligible when in steroid-free clinical and biochemical remission (defined as Harvey-Bradshaw Index [HBI] score

BACKGROUND: Low-dose thiopurine-allopurinol (LDTA) combination therapy is a commonly applied optimisation strategy in IBD patients with a skewed thiopurine metabolism.AIM: To assess continued LDTA maintenance treatment at annual intervals and explore risk factors for treatment cessation METHODS: Adult IBD patients treated with LDTA between 2009 and 2016 were retrospectively included. Data on the incidence of clinical and laboratory adverse events (AEs), including hepatotoxicity and myelotoxicity resulting in imposing LDTA therapy cessation and associated risk factors were collected.RESULTS: In total, 221 IBD patients (46% male, median age 42 years) were included. Maintenance LDTA treatment was continued in 78% of patients at 1 year (n = 145), 66% at 2 years (n = 83), 57% at 3 years (n = 52) and 52% at 4 years (n = 33). Treatment in patients receiving LDTA therapy for AEs during thiopurine monotherapy was more often continued than in patients initiating LDTA for other indications (eg, ineffectiveness of thiopurine monotherapy, routinely discovered skewed metabolism) (P = 0.016). Myelotoxicity during thiopurine monotherapy resolved in 87% and hepatotoxicity in 86% after median of 1.2 and 1.4 months after LDTA initiation. Cumulative incidence of AEs during LDTA resulting in therapy cessation within total follow-up of 449 treatment-years was 7% for clinical AEs, 4% for myelotoxicity and 1% for hepatotoxicity.CONCLUSION: LDTA therapy is a safe and beneficial optimisation strategy in IBD patients. Continued maintenance LDTA treatment is 52% after 4 years of treatment and most commonly affected by ineffectiveness of LDTA rather than LDTA-attributed toxicity. LDTA optimisation strategy is most advantageous in patients failing thiopurine monotherapy due to AEs.

Background and Aims The COVID-19 risk and disease course in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] patients remains uncertain. Therefore, we aimed to assess the clinical presentation, disease course, and outcomes of COVID-19 in IBD patients. Second, we determined COVID-19 incidences in IBD patients and compared this with the general population. Methods We conducted a multicentre, nationwide IBD cohort study in The Netherlands and identified patients with COVID-19. First, we assessed the COVID-19 disease course and outcomes. Second, we compared COVID-19 incidences between our IBD study cohort and the general Dutch population. Results We established an IBD cohort of 34 763 patients. COVID-19 was diagnosed in 100/34 763 patients [0.29%]; 20/100 of these patients [20%] had severe COVID-19 defined as admission to the intensive care unit, mechanical ventilation, and/or death. Hospitalisation occurred in 59/100 [59.0%] patients and 13/100 [13.0%] died. All patients who died had comorbidities and all but one were ≥65 years old. In line, we identified ≥1 comorbidity as an independent risk factor for hospitalisation (odds ratio [OR] 4.20, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.58–11.17,; p = 0.004). Incidences of COVID-19 between the IBD study cohort and the general population were comparable (287.6 [95% CI 236.6–349.7] versus 333.0 [95% CI 329.3–336.7] per 100000 patients, respectively; p = 0.15). Conclusions Of 100 cases with IBD and COVID-19, 20% developed severe COVID-19, 59% were hospitalised and 13% died. A comparable COVID-19 risk was found between the IBD cohort [100/34 763 = 0.29%] and the general Dutch population. The presence of ≥1 comorbidities was an independent risk factor for hospitalisation due to COVID-19.

Contains fulltext : 220106.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) BACKGROUND: To timely detect myelotoxicity and hepatotoxicity, laboratory monitoring at 3-month intervals is advised throughout thiopurine maintenance treatment for IBD. However, reported incidence rates of myelotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in maintenance treatment are low. AIM: To assess incidence rates and clinical consequences of myelotoxicity and hepatotoxicity in thiopurine maintenance therapy after at least 1 year of thiopurine treatment. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of therapy adjustment for laboratory toxicity in adult IBD patients after 12 consecutive months of azathioprine (AZA) or mercaptopurine monotherapy (ie baseline) between 2000 and 2016. Incidence rates of laboratory toxicity (ie myelotoxicity [leucocyte count

Contains fulltext : 220028.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Prospective data of vedolizumab treatment for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) beyond 1 year of treatment is scarce but needed for clinical decision making. We prospectively enrolled 310 patients with IBD (191 with Crohn's disease (CD) and 119 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC)) with a follow-up period of 104 weeks (interquartile range: 103-104) in a nationwide registry. The corticosteroid-free clinical remission rate (Harvey Bradshaw Index ≤ 4, Short Clinical Colitis Activity index ≤ 2) at weeks 52 and 104 were 28% and 19% for CD and 27% and 28% for UC, respectively. Fifty-nine percent maintained corticosteroid-free clinical remission between weeks 52 and 104. Vedolizumab with concomitant immunosuppression showed comparable effectiveness outcomes compared with vedolizumab monotherapy (week 104: 21% vs. 23%; P = 0.77), whereas 8 of 13 severe infections occurred in patients treated with concomitant immunosuppression. To conclude, the clinical effect was 19% for CD and 28% for UC after 2 years of follow-up regardless of concomitant immunosuppression.

Background and Aims Ustekinumab is approved for the treatment of Crohn’s disease [CD]. Systematically registered prospective real-world data are scarce. We therefore aimed to study the effectiveness, safety and usage of ustekinumab for CD in everyday practice. Methods We prospectively enrolled CD patients initiating ustekinumab in regular care between December 2016 and January 2019. Clinical (Harvey Bradshaw Index [HBI]), biochemical (C-reactive protein [CRP] and faecal calprotectin [FCP]), extra-intestinal manifestations and, peri-anal fistula activity, ustekinumab dosage, concomitant medication use, and adverse events were documented at weeks 0, 12, 24, and 52. The primary outcome was corticosteroid-free clinical remission. Results In total, 221 CD patients were included (98.6% anti-tumour necrosis factor [TNF] and 46.6% vedolizumab exposed) with a median follow-up of 52.0 weeks [interquartile range 49.3–58.4]. Corticosteroid-free clinical remission rates at weeks 24 and 52 were 38.2% and 37.1%, respectively. An initial dosing schedule of 8 weeks, compared to 12 weeks, correlated with a lower discontinuation rate [20.0% vs 42.6%, p = 0.01], but comparable corticosteroid-free clinical remission at week 52 (46.3% [q8w] vs 34.6% [q12w], p = 0.20). There was no clinical benefit of combination therapy after 52 weeks when compared to ustekinumab monotherapy [combi 40.6% vs mono 36.0%, p = 0.64]. At baseline, 28 patients had active peri-anal fistula, of whom 35.7% showed complete clinical resolution after 24 weeks. During follow-up we encountered six severe infections [3.5 per 100 patient-years], with all patients being on concomitant immunosuppressant therapies. Ustekinumab treatment discontinuation was observed in 75 [33.9%] patients mainly due to lack of response. Conclusion Ustekinumab is a relatively safe and effective treatment option for CD patients with prior failure of anti-TNF and anti-integrin therapies.

Background Thiopurine-treated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients are monitored every 3 to 4 months with outpatient visits and laboratory assessments to evaluate disease activity and safety of therapy. However, the risk of thiopurine-related adverse events decreases after the initiation phase. The aim of this study was to assess the safety of reduced clinical monitoring in steroid-free quiescent IBD patients on stable maintenance thiopurine monotherapy. Methods This single-centre prospective cohort study evaluated a reduced monitoring strategy that involved 6-monthly laboratory assessment combined with alternating outpatient and phone appointments, during 104 weeks. We enrolled IBD patients who were in steroid-free remission > 6 months on thiopurine monotherapy including azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine or tioguanine. The primary outcome was thiopurine-related adverse events (AE) requiring change or discontinuation of thiopurine therapy after 104 weeks of follow-up. Secondary outcomes were assessed at week 52 and included other thiopurine-related AEs and laboratory abnormalities. Results We included 85 patients (42 years median age, 61.2% Crohn’s disease, 62% female) with a median disease duration of 12.5 years. At baseline, 47 patients were treated with azathioprine (55.3%), 25 with 6-mercaptopurine (29.4%) and 13 with tioguanine (15.3%) for a median duration of 6.7 years. During 104 weeks of follow-up, thiopurine therapy was ceased in two patients because of multiple infections (n=1) and gastrointestinal complaints (n=1). Other reasons for thiopurine cessation (n=37) were stable remission (n=26), patient preferences (n=9) and high 6-TGN levels (n=2). In total, 20 patients underwent thiopurine dose adjustments due to high metabolite levels (n=9), remission (n=3), disease flare (n=3), patient preferences (n=3), and low metabolite levels (n=2). At 52 weeks, 27 laboratory abnormalities were observed, yet none required therapy adjustments. In 13 patients (15.3%) myelotoxicity was detected, including mild leukopenia (n=11), mild and moderate thrombopenia (n=2). In 16.5%, hepatoxicity was observed (n=14) including mild (n=9) and moderate (n=1) elevated aspartate aminotransferase and mild elevated alkaline phosphatase (n=4). Conclusion A reduced monitoring strategy appeared relatively safe in a strictly selected cohort of stable thiopurine-treated IBD patients. Overall, two patients had to cease thiopurine therapy due to thiopurine-related AEs independent of monitoring frequency. No laboratory abnormalities required therapy adjustments and 57.1% of patients continued therapy throughout 104 weeks of follow-up. This strategy may contribute to safe reduction of time and health care costs for both IBD patients and physicians in daily IBD practice.

Contains fulltext : 174852.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) AIM: To evaluate a step up approach: Taking macrobiopsies and performing excision biopsies in patients with suspected rectal cancer in which biopsies taken though the flexible endoscope showed benign histology. METHODS: Patients with a rectal neoplasm who underwent flexible endoscopy and biopsies were included. In case of benign biopsies rigid rectoscopy and macrobiopsies were employed. If this failed to prove malignancy, transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) was used in a final effort to establish a certain preoperative diagnosis. The preoperative results were compared with the findings after surgical excision and follow up to calculate the reliability of this algorithm. RESULTS: One hundred and thirty-two patients were included. One hundred and ten patients with a carcinoma and 22 with an adenoma. Seventy-five of 110 carcinomas were proven malignant after flexible endoscopy. With the addition of rigid endoscopy and taking of macrobiopsies, this number increased to 89. Performing TEM excision biopsies further enlarged the number of proven malignancies to 100. CONCLUSION: The step-up approach includes taking macrobiopsies through the rigid rectoscope and performing excision biopsies using transanal endoscopic microsurgery in addition to flexible endoscopy. This approach, reduced the number of missed preoperative malignant diagnoses from 32% to 9%.

Background & Aims: Both chronic inflammation and reduced immunosurveillance contribute to malignancy development in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Previous literature suggests that especially Crohn’s disease patients are at an increased risk for developing gastric cancer (GC). This study aimed to identify risk factors for GC development in IBD and to compare the clinical characteristics of GC in IBD to those in the general population. Methods: We retrospectively searched the Dutch Pathology Database to identify all Dutch IBD patients with GC between January 2004 and December 2008. Two case-control studies were performed. I: to identify risk factors for GC in IBD, with controls from the IBD South Limburg (IBDSL) population-based cohort; and II: to compare GC disease course in IBD patients with the general population. General population data were obtained from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (ECR). Results: We included 59 patients with IBD and GC (cases). Cases were significantly older at IBD diagnosis than IBDSL controls (median age 61 years versus 40; p

Background and Aims Decreased thiopurine S-methyltransferase [TPMT] enzyme activity increases the risk of haematological adverse drug reactions [ADRs] in patients treated with thiopurines. Clinical studies have shown that in patients with inflammatory bowel disease [IBD], pharmacogenetic TPMT-guided thiopurine treatment reduces this risk of ADRs. The aim of this study was to investigate whether this intervention impacts on healthcare costs and/or quality of life. Methods An a priori defined cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted in the Thiopurine response Optimization by Pharmacogenetic testing in Inflammatory bowel disease Clinics [TOPIC] trial, a randomized controlled trial performed in 30 Dutch hospitals. Patients diagnosed with IBD [age ≥18 years] were randomly assigned to the intervention [i.e. pre-treatment genotyping] or control group. Total costs in terms of volumes of care, and effects in quality-adjusted life years [QALYs], based on EuroQol-5D3L utility scores, were measured for 20 weeks. Mean incremental cost savings and QALYs with confidence intervals were calculated using non-parametric bootstrapping with 1000 replications. Results The intervention group consisted of 381 patients and the control group 347 patients. The mean incremental cost savings were €52 per patient [95% percentiles −682, 569]. Mean incremental QALYs were 0.001 [95% percentiles −0.009, 0.010]. Sensitivity analysis showed that the results were robust for potential change in costs of screening, costs of biologicals and costs associated with productivity loss. Conclusions Genotype-guided thiopurine treatment in IBD patients reduced the risk of ADRs among patients carrying a TPMT variant, without increasing overall healthcare costs and resulting in comparable quality of life, as compared to standard treatment.

Background The infliximab biosimilar has entered daily inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) practice. However, real-life outcomes beyond 1 year after switching are scarce. We aimed to investigate the long-term drug survival, immunogenicity, and pharmacokinetics 2 years after switching to CT-P13 in IBD patients. Methods We performed a single-center prospective observational cohort study in all Remicade-treated IBD patients who previously switched to CT-P13. We systematically documented reasons for discontinuation, trough levels, and antidrug antibodies to infliximab (ADAs) at baseline, week 16, week 52, and week 104. Clinical and biochemical disease activity (HBI, SCCAI, CRP) and adverse events were registered. Results Eighty-three patients were enrolled, 57 had Crohn's disease, 24 had ulcerative colitis, and 2 were IBD-unclassified. At week 104, 55 of 83 (66%) patients remained on CT-P13, and 3 were lost to follow-up. Reasons for discontinuation were loss of response (n = 10), adverse events (n = 8), and disease remission (n = 7). ADAs were present in 5/83 patients at baseline (before switching), in 2 patients before week 52, and no subsequent ADAs were detected until week 104. Median trough levels and clinical and biochemical disease activity at baseline, week 16, week 52 and week 104 did not significantly change. Conclusion In a prospective cohort with >2-year follow-up, 66% of IBD patients continued CT-P13 after switching from Remicade. Two new cases with ADAs were observed in year 1, but subsequently no immunogenicity was detected. These results are reassuring and suggest that switching to CT-P13 does not impact long-term clinical outcomes. 10.1093/ibd/izy227_video1izy227.video15802479819001.

Contains fulltext : 153788.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) INTRODUCTION: The use of thiopurines is frequently accompanied by hepatotoxicity. Studies on hepatocyte cultures showed a time- and dose-dependent increase of thiopurine toxicity. 5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and allopurinol can influence thiopurine metabolism; however, it is unknown whether this affects in vitro cytotoxicity. METHODS: Human hepatoma cells (Huh7, HepG2 and HepaRG) were incubated with increasing concentrations of thiopurines, 5-ASA or allopurinol. Water-soluble tetrazolium salt-1 (WST-1) cytotoxicity assays were used to calculate cell survival curves and half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50). Combination experiments with thiopurines with a fixed dose of 200 muM 5-ASA or 100 muM allopurinol were conducted in HepaRG cells. Caspase-3/7 activation was evaluated, and single cell electrophoresis analysis was performed. RESULTS: A time- and dose-related cytotoxic effect was seen with azathioprine (AZA) in all hepatoma cells, whereas Huh7 and HepG2 cells did not show toxicity to 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP). HepaRG cells expressed the highest levels of drug metabolising enzymes, and therefore, combination experiments were conducted in HepaRG cells. Addition of a non-toxic dose of allopurinol resulted in a twofold to threefold increased cytotoxicity of all thiopurines, which seemed to be mediated by apoptosis/DNA damage. CONCLUSION: The addition of allopurinol to thiopurines leads to a two-threefold increased cytotoxicity in HepaRG cells.

© The Author(s) 2018. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/., Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a severe infection that can occur in severely immunocompromised patients. Efficient immune recognition of Aspergillus is crucial to protect against infection, and previous studies suggested a role for NOD2 in this process. However, thorough investigation of the impact of NOD2 on susceptibility to aspergillosis is lacking. Common genetic variations in NOD2 has been associated with Crohn's disease and here we investigated the influence of these genetic variations on the anti-Aspergillus host response. A NOD2 polymorphism reduced the risk of IA after hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation. Mechanistically, absence of NOD2 in monocytes and macrophages increases phagocytosis leading to enhanced fungal killing, conversely, NOD2 activation reduces the antifungal potential of these cells. Crucially, Nod2 deficiency results in resistance to Aspergillus infection in an in vivo model of pulmonary aspergillosis. Collectively, our data demonstrate that genetic deficiency of NOD2 plays a protective role during Aspergillus infection., F.L.v.d.V. was supported by the E-rare project EURO-CMC. M.O. was supported by the NWO, 016.176.006). A.C. and C.C. were supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER) (NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013), and the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) (IF/00735/2014 to A.C. and SFRH/BPD/96176/2013 to C.C.).

Contains fulltext : 182794.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) BACKGROUND: Limited data are available on long-term clinical outcomes regarding the switch from Remicade((R)) to the infliximab biosimilar CT-P13 in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. AIMS: To investigate long-term efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetic profile, and immunogenicity. METHODS: We performed a single-center prospective observational cohort study following an elective switch from Remicade((R)) to CT-P13 in IBD patients. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients were included (57 Crohn's disease, 24 ulcerative colitis, and 2 IBD unclassified), and 68 patients completed one-year follow-up. Disease activity (Harvey-Bradshaw Index and Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index) as well as inflammatory markers (CRP, fecal calprotectin) did not change significantly during the 1-year follow-up. In total, 7 out of 83 patients (8%) demonstrated detectable antidrug antibodies during follow-up, and 5 out of 7 antidrug antibody titers were already detectable at baseline prior to switching. Six patients (7%) discontinued CT-P13 due to adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Following a switch from Remicade((R)) to CT-P13, 82% of IBD patients continued treatment through 1 year. Disease activity scores and inflammatory markers remained unchanged during follow-up, and no CT-P13-related serious adverse events occurred. These 1-year data suggest that switching to CT-P13 in Remicade((R))-treated IBD patients is safe and feasible.

Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with high costs to society. Few data on the impact of IBD on work disability and potential predictive factors are available. Aim To assess the prevalence of and predictive factors for work disability in Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Methods A web-based questionnaire was sent out in seven university hospitals and seven general hospitals in the Netherlands. Initially, 3050 adult IBD patients were included in this prospective, nationwide cohort study, whereof 2629 patients were within the working-age (18–64 years). We used the baseline questionnaire to assess the prevalence rates of work disability in CD and UC patients within working-age. Prevalence rates were compared with the Dutch background population using age- and sex-matched data obtained from Statistics Netherlands. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent demographic- and disease-specific risk factors for work disability. Results In CD, 18.3% of patients was fully disabled and 8.8% partially disabled, compared to 9.5% and 5.4% in UC patients (p Conclusion We report high work disability rates in a large sample of IBD patients in the Netherlands. CD patients suffer more frequently from work disability than UC patients. A combination of demographic and disease-related factors is predictive of work disability.

Matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9) is a protease involved in the degradation of extracellular matrix collagen. Evidence suggests that MMP-9 is involved in pathogenesis during Streptococcus pneumoniae infection. However, not much is known about the induction of MMP-9 and the regulatory processes involved. We show here that the Gram-positive bacteria used in this study induced large amounts of MMP-9, in contrast to the Gram-negative bacteria that were used. An important pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) for Gram-positive bacteria is muramyl dipeptide (MDP). MDP is a very potent inducer of MMP-9 and showed a dose-dependent MMP-9 induction. Experiments using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from Crohn's disease patients with nonfunctional NOD2 showed that MMP-9 induction by Streptococcus pneumoniae and MDP is NOD2 dependent. Increasing amounts of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an important PAMP for Gram-negative bacteria, resulted in decreasing amounts of MMP-9. Moreover, the induction of MMP-9 by MDP could be counteracted by simultaneously adding LPS. The inhibition of MMP-9 expression by LPS was found to be regulated posttranscriptionally, independently of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1), an endogenous inhibitor of MMP-9. Collectively, these data show that Streptococcus pneumoniae is able to induce large amounts of MMP-9. These high MMP-9 levels are potentially involved in Streptococcus pneumoniae pathogenesis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Infliximab (IFX) and adalimumab (ADA) are thought to have equal efficacy for the treatment of Crohn's disease (CD), although no direct comparison has been performed. We compared the effectiveness and safety of IFX and ADA in carefully matched cohorts.METHODS: We performed a retrospective cohort study of 200 patients with CD (100 treated with IFX and 100 treated with ADA, starting in 2006 or later) who had not received anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents previously; the patients were identified from databases of 6 hospitals in The Netherlands. The groups were matched carefully for indication, duration of disease, age, and Montreal classification. The primary end point was the steroid-free clinical response, defined by a combination of multiple clinical parameters, after 1 year.RESULTS: Of the total patient population, 63.5% and 45% had a clinical response after 1 and 2 years, respectively. There were no significant differences between treatment groups: at 1 and 2 years, 62% and 41% of those receiving ADA vs 65% and 49% of those receiving IFX had responses, respectively. Kaplan-Meier curves showed identical decreases in response rates over time. Combining IFX or ADA with immunomodulator therapy was associated with a higher clinical response than monotherapy, although this was only significant among patients who received IFX (P = .03). There were no differences in numbers of side effects or opportunistic infections.CONCLUSIONS: The effectiveness of ADA or IFX treatment in anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha-naive patients with CD is comparable after 1 and 2 years of follow-up evaluation. The efficacies of IFX and ADA each seem to increase when given with immunomodulator therapy, although only significantly for IFX.

Contains fulltext : 171426.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) Cells in homeostasis metabolize glucose mainly through the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, while activated cells switch their basal metabolism to aerobic glycolysis. In this study, we examined whether metabolic reprogramming toward aerobic glycolysis is important for the host response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Through transcriptional and metabolite analysis we show that Mtb induces a switch in host cellular metabolism toward aerobic glycolysis in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The metabolic switch is TLR2 dependent but NOD2 independent, and is mediated in part through activation of the AKT-mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway. We show that pharmacological inhibition of the AKT/mTOR pathway inhibits cellular responses to Mtb both in vitro in human PBMCs, and in vivo in a model of murine tuberculosis. Our findings reveal a novel regulatory layer of host responses to Mtb that will aid understanding of host susceptibility to Mtb, and which may be exploited for host-directed therapy.

Item does not contain fulltext BACKGROUND: Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) of the liver is associated with inflammatory-mediated diseases and certain drugs. There is conflicting data on the prevalence of NRH and its clinical implications in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients treated with thioguanine. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study involving 7 Dutch centers comprised all IBD patients who were being treated with thioguanine and underwent a liver biopsy as part of the standard toxicity screening. Liver biopsy specimens were reviewed by 2 experienced liver pathologists. Clinical data as well as liver chemistry, blood counts, and abdominal imaging were collected. RESULTS: One hundred eleven IBD patients who submitted to liver biopsy were treated with thioguanine in a daily dose of 0.3 mg/kg for a median duration of 20 (4-64) months. NRH was detected in 6% of patients (7; 95% confidence interval, 3-14 patients). Older age (P = 0.02), elevated gamma-glutamyl transferase (P = 0.01) and alkaline phosphatase (P = 0.01) levels, a higher mean corpuscular volume (P = 0.02), and a lower platelet or leukocyte count (P < 0.01 and P = 0.02, respectively) were associated with NRH. Three of the 7 patients with NRH did not have any associated clinical symptoms or signs. The other 4 had minor biochemical abnormalities only. Ultrasonography revealed splenomegaly in 3 of the 78 patients (4%; 95% confidence interval, 0%-9%), only one of whom had NRH. There was no clinically overt portal hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of NRH was 6% in liver biopsies obtained from IBD patients treated with thioguanine. Histopathological irregularities including NRH were not associated with clinically significant findings over the period of observation.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of lower respiratory tract infections in infants, with remarkable variability in disease severity. An exaggerated proinflammatory response and influx of leukocytes is part of the pathogenesis of severe RSV disease. Here, we show an increase in proinflammatory cytokine production by human immune cells after stimulation with RSV and muramyl dipeptide (MDP), which is recognized by nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain containing 2 (NOD2). PBMCs from Crohn's disease patients homozygous for the 3020insC mutation in the NOD2 gene did not show a synergistic response to stimulation with RSV and MDP, suggesting that NOD2 is essential for the observed synergy. Further experiments aimed at identifying the viral ligand indicated that viral RNA plays an essential role in the recognition of RSV. Stimulation with RSV or Poly(I:C) induced IFN-β expression, which resulted in an increased expression of the viral receptors TLR3 and RIG-I, as well as an increased NOD2 expression. Our data indicate that IFN-β induction by viral RNA is an essential first step in the increased proinflammatory response to MDP. We hypothesize that the enhanced proinflammatory response to MDP following RSV infection may be an important factor in determining the outcome of the severity of disease.

Contains fulltext : 108348.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) BACKGROUND: Infliximab-induced hepatotoxicity is reported in several case studies involving patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and a direct hepatotoxic effect has been proposed. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the direct in vitro toxicity of infliximab. As a proof of principle the in vitro toxicity of thiopurines and methotrexate was also determined. METHODS: Cell survival curves and the half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)) were obtained after 24, 48 and 72 h of incubation in HepG2 cells with the IBD drugs azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, 6-thioguanine, methotrexate or infliximab by using the WST-1 cytotoxicity assay. RESULTS: No in vitro hepatotoxicity in HepG2 cells was seen with infliximab, while concentration-dependent cytotoxicity was observed when HepG2 cells were incubated with increasing concentrations of azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanine. CONCLUSION: Infliximab alone or given in combination with azathioprine showed no direct hepatotoxic effect in vitro, indicating that the postulated direct hepatotoxicity of infliximab is unlikely. 01 juni 2012

Item does not contain fulltext Adaptive features of innate immunity, recently described as "trained immunity," have been documented in plants, invertebrate animals, and mice, but not yet in humans. Here we show that bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccination in healthy volunteers led not only to a four- to sevenfold increase in the production of IFN-gamma, but also to a twofold enhanced release of monocyte-derived cytokines, such as TNF and IL-1beta, in response to unrelated bacterial and fungal pathogens. The enhanced function of circulating monocytes persisted for at least 3 mo after vaccination and was accompanied by increased expression of activation markers such as CD11b and Toll-like receptor 4. These training effects were induced through the NOD2 receptor and mediated by increased histone 3 lysine 4 trimethylation. In experimental studies, BCG vaccination induced T- and B-lymphocyte-independent protection of severe combined immunodeficiency SCID mice from disseminated candidiasis (100% survival in BCG-vaccinated mice vs. 30% in control mice). In conclusion, BCG induces trained immunity and nonspecific protection from infections through epigenetic reprogramming of innate immune cells.

Contains fulltext : 193350.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access)

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT: Infliximab is an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease (both adult and paediatric), ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis and national and international guidelines have been developed for each indication. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS: This study is the first study which compared current international, national and local guidelines from the medical specialties involved in the treatment with infliximab on the following topics: indication, dosage, synergy and monitoring of vital signs. AIMS: Infliximab, an anti-TNF biologic agent, is currently indicated and reimbursed for rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, Crohn's disease (both adult and paediatric), ulcerative colitis, psoriatic arthritis and plaque psoriasis. Development of national and international guidelines for rheumatology, gastroenterology and dermatology, was mostly based on clinical studies and expert opinion. The aim of this study was to compare available guidelines and local protocols for rheumatology, dermatology and gastroenterology, regarding dosage of infliximab, synergy of infliximab with concomitant medication and monitoring of vital signs during infliximab administration, for achieving optimal care. METHODS: Current international, national and local guidelines on the use of infliximab were reviewed and compared, differences and shortcomings were identified, and optimal treatment schedules discussed during a meeting (July 2008) of clinical experts and researchers from three departments of a Dutch university hospital. RESULTS: Recommended dosages of infliximab are not equal for different indications. Loss of response to infliximab is a common problem encountered within the three medical specialties, but indications for adjustments in treatment schedules are lacking in all of the guidelines. Monitoring of vital signs (blood pressure, pulse, temperature) during infusion with infliximab is common practice and recommended by some guidelines. Routine measurement of vital signs is not of any value in predicting or recognizing acute infusion reactions, in our experience, and this is confirmed by literature on inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSION: Different indications encompass different dosing schedules. National and internal guidelines do not provide advice regarding loss of response. Routine measurement of vital signs during infusion is not valuable in detecting acute infusion reactions and should only be performed in case of an acute infusion reaction. These topics need to be studied in future studies and covered in future guidelines.

Item does not contain fulltext Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for Crohn's disease (CD) have identified loci explaining approximately 20% of the total genetic risk of CD. Part of the other genetic risk loci is probably partly hidden among signals discarded by the multiple testing correction needed in the analysis of GWAS data. Strategies for finding these hidden loci require large replication cohorts and are costly to perform. We adopted a strategy of selecting SNPs for follow-up that showed a correlation to gene expression [cis-expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs)] since these have been shown more likely to be trait-associated. First we show that there is an overrepresentation of cis-eQTLs in the known CD-associated loci. Then SNPs were selected for follow-up by screening the top 500 SNP hits from a CD GWAS data set. We identified 10 cis-eQTL SNPs. These 10 SNPs were tested for association with CD in two independent cohorts of Dutch CD patients (1539) and healthy controls (2648). In a combined analysis, we identified two cis-eQTL SNPs that were associated with CD rs2298428 in UBE2L3 (P=5.22x10(-5)) and rs2927488 in BCL3 (P=2.94x10(-4)). After adding additional publicly available data from a previously reported meta-analysis, the association with rs2298428 almost reached genome-wide significance (P=2.40x10(-7)) and the association with rs2927488 was corroborated (P=6.46x10(-4)). We have identified UBE2L3 and BCL3 as likely novel risk genes for CD. UBE2L3 is also associated with other immune-mediated diseases. These results show that eQTL-based pre-selection for follow-up is a useful approach for identifying risk loci from a moderately sized GWAS.

Item does not contain fulltext OBJECTIVES: Genetic susceptibility is known to make a major contribution to the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC). Recently, three studies, including a genome-wide association study (GWAS), reported novel UC risk loci. METHODS: The top-20 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from the first UC-GWAS were genotyped, as part of the study's replication phase, in 561 UC cases and 728 controls from our Dutch UC study sample. We genotyped eight SNPs identified in two more studies, in these individuals, and replicated all significantly associated SNPs in an additional 894 UC cases and 1,174 controls from our Dutch UC study sample. A combined analysis for all patients (n=1,455) and controls (n=1,902) was performed. Dose-response models were constructed with the associated risk alleles. RESULTS: We found 12 SNPs tagging ten loci, including HLA-DRA, IL10, IL23R, JAK2, S100Z, ARPC2, and ECM1, to be associated with UC. We identified 10q26, flagged by the UC-GWAS but not confirmed in its replication phase, as a UC locus and found a trend toward association for GAS7. No association with disease localization or severity was found. The dose-response models show that individuals carrying 11 or more risk alleles have an odds ratio of 8.2 (confidence interval 3.0-22.8) for UC susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS: We confirmed the association of multiple loci with UC in the Dutch population and found evidence for association of 10q26 and a trend suggesting association for GAS7. Genetic models show that multiple risk loci in an individual increase the risk for developing UC. 01 februari 2010

BACKGROUND: Colonoscopic surveillance provides the best practical means for preventing colorectal cancer (CRC) in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients. Strong evidence for improved survival from surveillance programmes is sparse.METHOD: The aim of this study was to compare tumour stage and survival of IBD patients with CRC who were a part of a surveillance programme with those who were not. A nationwide pathology database (PALGA (pathologisch anatomisch landelijk geautomatiseerd archief)) was consulted to identify IBD patients with CRC treated in all eight university hospitals in The Netherlands over a period of 15 years. Patients were assigned to the surveillance group when they had undergone one or more surveillance colonoscopies before a diagnosis of CRC. Patients who had not undergone surveillance served as controls. Tumour stage and survival were compared between the two groups.RESULTS: A total of 149 patients with IBD-associated CRC were identified. Twenty-three had had colonoscopic surveillance before CRC was discovered. The 5-year CRC-related survival rate of patients in the surveillance group was 100% compared with 74% in the non-surveillance group (P = 0.042). In the surveillance group, only one patient died as a consequence of CRC compared with 29 patients in the control group (P = 0.047). In addition, more early tumour stages were found in the surveillance group (P = 0.004).CONCLUSIONS: These results provide evidence for improved survival from colonoscopic surveillance in IBD patients by detecting CRC at a more favourable tumour stage.British Journal of Cancer (2009) 101, 1671-1675. doi: 10.1038/sj.bjc.6605359 www.bjcancer.comPublished online 13 October 2009 (C) 2009 Cancer Research UK

Item does not contain fulltext BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The biosimilar of Remicade(R), CT-P13, recently entered the European market. Clinical data on switching from Remicade(R) to CT-P13 in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] are scarce. We aimed to prospectively investigate efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetic profile, and immunogenicity following a switch from Remicade(R) to CT-P13 in IBD patients. METHODS: Remicade(R)-treated IBD patients at the Radboud university medical centre who switched to CT-P13 were included in this prospective observational cohort study. Primary endpoint was change in Harvey-Bradshaw Index for Crohn's disease [CD] and Simple Clinical Colitis Activity Index for ulcerative colitis [UC] at week 16. We measured C-reactive protein [CRP], faecal calprotectin [FCP], infliximab trough level [TL] and anti-drug antibodies [ADAs] and documented adverse events. RESULTS: Our cohort consisted of 83 patients (28 males, 57 CD, 24 UC, 2 IBD-unclassified [IBD-U]). The median age was 36 years, range 18-79. Median change in disease activity was 0 [range -23 to +7] for CD and 0 [range -3 to +6] for UC/IBD-U. Median CRP and FCP levels did not change significantly during follow-up. Median TL increased from 3.5 microg/ml [range 0-18] to 4.2 microg/ml [range 0-21] at week 16 [p = 0.010]. Two patients developed a new detectable ADA response during follow-up and five patients discontinued CT-P13. No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that switching from Remicade(R) to CT-P13 in a real-life cohort of IBD patients did not have a significant impact on short-term clinical outcomes. These results suggest that switching from Remicade(R) to CT-P13 for the treatment of IBD is feasible.

Background and aims A recent study reported that a nonsynonymous SNP rs2241880 (c.898A>G, p.Thr300Ala) within ATG16L1 confers susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD). We analyzed ATG16L1 c.898A>G in three independent European inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) cohorts from Germany, Hungary and the Netherlands. Methods In total, we included 910 European IBD patients and compared the ATG16L1 c.898A>G genotype frequency with 707 ethnically matched healthy controls. We included patients from 3 populations originating from Germany (CD n =310; ulcerative colitis [UC] n =179), Hungary (CD n =147; UC n =117), and the Netherlands (CD n =157). Subtyping analysis was performed in respect to CARD15 alterations and clinical characteristics. Results We found a highly significant association of c.898A>G to CD. The association was significant ( p =0.0005) for the total CD cohort but also for the individual populations from Germany ( p =0.02) and Netherlands ( p =0.02) whereas in the Hungarian CD patients a clear trend was observed ( p =0.19; OR 1.227, 95% CI 0.910; 1.654). No association was found between c.898A>G and UC. No statistical interactions were observed between ATG16L1 c.898A>G and C ARD15 variants. Furthermore no association to a CD subphenotype was detected. Conclusions We confirm that ATG16L1 variant c898A>G confers a risk variant for CD but is not associated with a distinct CD phenotype.

BACKGROUND: A recent study reported that a non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (rs11209026, p.Arg381Gln) located in the IL23R gene is a protective marker for inflammatory bowel disease. AIM: To analyse the frequency of p.Arg381Gln in three independent European inflammatory bowel disease cohorts and to evaluate how this variant influences disease behaviour. METHODS: We assessed a European cohort of 919 inflammatory bowel disease patients and compared the IL23R p.Arg381Gln genotype frequency with 845 healthy controls. Inflammatory bowel disease patients originated from Germany [Crohn's disease (CD): n = 318; ulcerative colitis (UC): n = 178], Hungary (CD: n = 148; UC: n = 118) and the Netherlands (CD: n = 157). Ethnically matched controls were included. We performed subtyping analysis in respect to CARD15 alterations and clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The frequency of the glutamine allele of p.Arg381Gln was significantly lower in inflammatory bowel disease patients compared with controls in a pooled analysis of all three cohorts (P < 0.000001) as well as in the individual cohorts (Germany: P = 0.001, Hungary: P = 0.02 and the Netherlands: P = 0.0002). The p.Arg381Gln genotype distribution was similar between CD and UC. We did not observe either statistical interactions between p.Arg381Gln and CARD15 variants or any significant associations between p.Arg381Gln genotype and subphenotypes. CONCLUSIONS: The p.Arg381Gln IL23R variant confers a protective effect against both CD and UC, but does not determine disease phenotype.

Contains fulltext : 53480.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate prospectively the rectal wall (Rwall) spatial dose distribution, toxicity, and mucosal changes after prostate cancer radiotherapy with or without an endorectal balloon (ERB). METHODS AND MATERIALS: A total of 24 patients with ERB and 24 without ERB (No-ERB) were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) to a dose of 67.5 Gy. The Rwall was divided into 16 mucosal areas and Rwall dose surface maps were constructed. After 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years a rectosigmoidoscopy was performed, and each mucosal area was scored on telangiectasia, congestion, ulceration, stricture, and necrosis. Late rectal toxicity was correlated with the endoscopic findings. RESULTS: The ERB significantly reduced the Rwall volume exposed to doses >40 Gy. Late rectal toxicity (grade >or=1, including excess of bowel movements and slight rectal discharge) was reduced significantly in the ERB group. A total of 146 endoscopies and 2,336 mucosal areas were analyzed. Telangiectases were most frequently seen and appeared after 6 months. At 1 and 2 years, significantly less high-grade telangiectasia (T 2-3) was observed in the ERB group at the lateral and posterior part of the Rwall. In mucosal areas exposed to doses >40 Gy, less high-grade telangiectases (T 2-3) were seen in the ERB group compared with the No-ERB group. CONCLUSIONS: An ERB reduced the Rwall volume exposed to doses >40 Gy, resulting in reduction of late rectal mucosal changes and reduced late rectal toxicity. Although further analysis is needed, these data suggest an ERB-induced increased tolerance for late Rwall damage.

Item does not contain fulltext Etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab have shown clinical benefit in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases; however, the outcome of treatment with these tumour-necrosis factor inhibitors remains insufficient in approximately 40-60% and approximately 25-40% of individuals with rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease, respectively. Moreover, their use is accompanied by adverse events and unintentional immune suppression. Pharmacogenetics has the potential to increase efficacy and ameliorate adverse events and immune suppression, and its application might be of clinical benefit for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Pharmacogenetic studies have shown associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes encoding enzymes related to the pharmacodynamics of these drugs and treatment outcome. As we discuss here, replication and prospective validation are warranted before pharmacogenetics can be used in clinical practice.

Background. Three major polymorphisms of the Caspase-Activation Recruitment Domain containing protein 15 gene have been described to be associated with Crohn's disease. Genotype-phenotype studies reported in literature provide conflicting data on disease localisation and behaviour. We investigated the relation of Caspase-Activation Recruitment Domain containing protein 15 with inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's disease phenotypic characteristics in a large Dutch cohort and performed a pooled analysis on inflammatory bowel disease patients and Crohn's disease phenotypic characteristics reported in association studies.Methods. We genotyped 781 cases and 315 controls for the R702W, G908R and 1007fsinsC variants and for six microsatellite markers in and close to Caspase-Activation Recruitment Domain containing protein 15. In the pooled analysis data of 7201 inflammatory bowel disease patients and 3720 controls from 20 studies were included.Results. Association was found for Crohn's disease with R702W and 1007fsinsC, including several disease characteristics, and not for ulcerative colitis. In the pooled analysis all three common Caspase-Activation Recruitment Domain containing protein 15 variants showed strong association with Crohn's disease (p Conclusion. Caspase-Activation Recruitment Domain containing protein 15 is associated with Crohn's disease and not with ulcerative colitis. All three common Crohn's disease-associated variants are associated with small bowel involvement, the G908R and 1007fsinsC alleles also being associated with a complicated disease course. (c) 2006 Editrice Gastroenterologica Italiana S.r.l. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Contains fulltext : 51307.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Open Access) The nucleotide oligomerization domain 2 (NOD2) 3020insC (NOD2fs) mutation increases susceptibility to Crohn's disease (CD), but the mechanism remains controversial. Loss-of-function and gain-of-function phenotypes have been described as a result of NOD2fs. Here, we show that dendritic cells (DC) derived from CD patients homozygous for this mutation respond normally to purified Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands but fail to up-regulate the costimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 in response to the NOD2 ligand muramyl dipeptide (MDP). Moreover, they lack MDP-induced enhancement of TLR-mediated tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL)-12, and IL-10 production, which is observed in control DC with intact NOD2. These data indicate that the NOD2fs mutation results in a loss-of-function phenotype in human myeloid DC and imply decreased immune regulation by IL-10 as a possible mechanism for this mutation in CD.

Contains fulltext : 48986tielen.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) BACKGROUND: Case reports concerning irreversible renal failure caused by 5-aminosalicylates (5-ASA) have been published. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of long-term use of 5-ASA on renal function in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS: This was a retrospective survey in 200 consecutive outpatients with CD. Endogenous creatinine clearance (ECC) was estimated from serum creatinine with the Cockroft and Gault formula. The first ECC was chosen close to the start of 5-ASA and the second was the most recent ECC available. RESULTS: In 153 patients (59 men and 94 women), sufficient data were available for analysis. The interval between ECCs was 11 years, with a mean exposure to 5-ASA of 8.6 years. The cumulative dose of 5-ASA amounted to 9 kg. The ECC declined 0.3 +/- 5 mL/min/yr (from 100 +/- 25 to 92 +/- 28 mL/min; P < 0.01). In a multiple linear regression model, duration of the interval was a significant predictor for change in ECC (P < 0.0001), but cumulative dose of 5-ASA was not predictive (P = 0.30). No interstitial nephritis was reported, and in the 8 patients with the largest decline in ECC, comorbidity causing renal function impairment was present. CONCLUSIONS: The mean decline in ECC of 0.3 mL/min/yr in patients with CD does not exceed the decline expected from physiologic aging. Furthermore, the cumulative dose of 5-ASA was not a predictor for change in renal function. However, as interstitial nephritis caused by 5-ASA may rarely occur, we still advocate measurements of serum creatinine before and during treatment.

Contains fulltext : 49006.pdf (Publisher’s version ) (Closed access) The recognition of peptidoglycan by cells of the innate immune system has been controversial; both TLR2 and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-2 (NOD2) have been implicated in this process. In the present study we demonstrate that although NOD2 is required for recognition of peptidoglycan, this leads to strong synergistic effects on TLR2-mediated production of both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Defective IL-10 production in patients with Crohn's disease bearing loss of function mutations of NOD2 may lead to overwhelming inflammation due to a subsequent Th1 bias. In addition to the potentiation of TLR2 effects, NOD2 is a modulator of signals transmitted through TLR4 and TLR3, but not through TLR5, TLR9, or TLR7. Thus, interaction between NOD2 and specific TLR pathways may represent an important modulatory mechanism of innate immune responses.