CCFC RESEARCH SUMMARIES OF SUMMER STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP PROJECTS Progress Report


The Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of Canada (CCFC) is once again pleased to have Dr. Fred


Saibil explain the Progress Reports of CCFC-funded research projects. Dr. Saibil is a gastroenterologist at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and a Professor of Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Saibil specializes in the diagnosis and management of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. His book, “Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis”, written for the public, and now in its 3rd edition, is a world-wide best-seller. Dr. Saibil has been an adviser to the CCFC since 1974.


Dr. Fred Saibil


The role of prostaglandin D2 in protease-activated receptor 2 induced resolution of colitis.


Student: Natalie Ronaghan


Supervisor: Dr. Wallace MacNaughton, University of Calgary


Much of the research on IBD is focused on the things that cause the inflammation, but equally important is how the body suppresses, and gets rid of, that inflammation. Before the days when there were drugs to treat IBD, it was observed that both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis flares could come and go. While some people were continuously symptomatic, others had frequent periods of remission which sometimes lasted for years. By studying the process of the resolution of the inflammation, there is potential for additional pathways to target, hopefully leading to new treatments.


There is already evidence that implicates a substance named prostaglandin D2


10 The Journal EDITION 3 | 2011


(PGD2) in the resolution of inflammation and maintenance of remission. There is


also increasing evidence that a chemical named protease-activated receptor-2


(PAR2) contributes to the progression of inflammation. What is interesting about these two pieces of evidence


is that PAR2 is known to increase the activity of one of the key enzymes in prostaglandin production in colonic cells lines. Much of what goes on in the healthy immune system is a matter of balance between “good” and “evil.” This study looks at the hypothesis that while


PAR2 increases inflammation, it may also facilitate a decrease, and disappearance,


of inflammation by stimulating PGD2 production.


Before any research project can get to the “nitty-gritty” of what is being studied, there are usually many little preparatory steps that must be taken. Many of these steps end up taking more time than expected. All students who enter the field of basic science research learn this very quickly. One of the first


things that Ms. Ronaghan had to do was to establish a good cell culture model for her experiments. In her own words, “…due to the.…problems encountered, I obtained incomplete results. This project revealed that it might be easier said than done


to determine if PAR2 contributes to resolution of inflammation, and more conclusive evidence may be required before this project continues.”


This doesn’t mean that the work wasn’t of value, as someone must take those preparatory steps. The results suggest that the CMT-93 cell line could be a good model cell line in the further study of prostaglandin D2 production. This was a valuable learning experience for Ms. Ronaghan. The concept under study is very interesting, and hopefully Dr. MacNaughton’s lab will continue to explore it.


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