Smoking may cause inflammatory bowel disease

(Frontiers) A new study shows for the first time a direct effect of cigarette smoke on bowel inflammation. The researchers find that mice exposed to cigarette smoke develop a type of colitis resembling Crohn's disease. The researchers also identified a specific immune cell responsible for the effect. These findings could help scientists develop new treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease, and increase awareness among smokers of their risk for colitis.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news