Ulcerative Colitis: Novel Epithelial Insights Provided by Single Cell RNA Sequencing.

Ulcerative Colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestinal tract for which a definitive etiology is yet unknown. Both genetic and environmental factors have been implicated in the development of UC. Recently, single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology revealed cell subpopulations contributing to the pathogenesis of UC and brought new insight into the pathways that connect genome to pathology. This review describes key scRNA-seq findings in two major studies by Broad Institute and University of Oxford, investigating the transcriptomic landscape of epithelial cells in UC. We focus on five major findings: (1) the identification of BEST4 + cells, (2) colonic microfold (M) cells, (3) detailed comparison of the transcriptomes of goblet cells, and (4) colonocytes and (5) stem cells in health and disease. In analyzing the two studies, we identify the commonalities and differences in methodologies, results, and conclusions, offering possible explanations, and validated several cell cluster markers. In systematizing the results, we hope to offer a framework that the broad scientific GI community and GI clinicians can use to replicate or corroborate the extensive new findings that RNA-seq offers.

Novel therapies and potential therapeutic targets in the management of chronic hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitis B is a persistent and progressive inflammatory liver disease caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). More than 240 million individuals are infected with HBV worldwide and hepatitis B accounts for an estimated 650 000 deaths annually. Approximately up to 30% of chronically infected patients will develop complications of HBV infection including, but not limited to, liver cirrhosis, end-stage liver disease, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently approved therapies have improved clinical outcomes, but have a considerable side-effect profile, elevated cost, and a finite course of treatment. This has led to a growing interest in research for new therapies. As the mechanisms for HBV replication are becoming better understood, new potential targets have been discovered, leading to the development of new therapies. In this article, we describe the promising therapies that are under evaluation, showing their mechanisms of action, effects, and stage of development.