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So why can't switching off certain genes be an eventual cure for IBD?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 8/11/2016 9:01 PM (GMT -5)
As always, a thread was closed before I could answer. So I'm asking here. Would rather get a wider range of answers anyway.
Posted 8/11/2016 4:54 PM (GMT -5)
Here's my post which prompted this thread.

What I know about genetics could be written on the back of a postcard but if there's a few genes responsible for causing the immune system to go haywire in the presence of a breached mucosal barrier (or whatever), then what is the point of just switching them off, only to have them switch back on again like a light bulb the moment we have stress in our lives, eat a few donuts, or whatever?

Since IBD is a mixture of genes and environment, wouldn't it be better to shut off those few genes permanently (assuming it's possible) and not have to spend the rest of our lives worrying about IBD coming back? I appreciate it's almost certainly not as simple as that and there's something I'm missing, but I must admit I can't see what: maybe a budding microbiologist can enlighten me.

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I was replying to somebody who was talking about changing your environment drastically to switch off the genes responsible for causing UC. If that can be done - and I don't know if it can - then why stop there? Why not aim at disabling the genes permanently, so the immune system can do its job without going all kamikaze on our colons?

Why is this never talked about? What have I missed? Are we even anywhere close to being able to switch on/off genes temporarily or permanently? I think I need some to do some reading: if only I weren't constantly braindead and in pain half the time...
Posted 8/11/2016 5:01 PM (GMT -5)
https://today.duke.edu/2015/02/fishibd
Posted 8/11/2016 7:05 PM (GMT -5)
That's a cool article!
Posted 8/11/2016 8:22 PM (GMT -5)
Who knew how similar to zebrafish we were?

Thanks for the link - interesting article. I remember a lot of hype about gene therapy a few years ago, but it seems like it's gone radio silent since then. I hope it's not because researchers have hit a total brick wall, because if anything has the potential to target the root causes of IBD, it seems like it would be this.
Posted 8/11/2016 8:53 PM (GMT -5)
I think it is more than a few genes, and if some were switched off completely you could lose your immune system. There are over 160 loci known, and those loci contain many genes. Sometime only location is known and not actual gene. But each gene likely make protiens that are needed elsewhere in the body and could be fatal to switch the gene off completely.

Work is needed to find the most beneficial ones to target w/o side effects, and possibly to use epi-genetics to switch them off only in the colon. Or to use a gene therapy to alter them to a more benign allele. gene engineering research still has a ways to go.
Posted 8/11/2016 9:27 PM (GMT -5)
I know there's hundreds of genes which have been discovered, but I'm assuming that only a few of those genes would be active in any one individual with IBD.

If the genes involved can't be switched off without deleterious consequences, then fair enough, we have a problem. But then what are the genes doing in the time the person doesn't have IBD? i.e. before diagnosis or remission that isn't medication or surgery-induced. Are they off if you don't have active IBD and on if you do?

These questions are probably clueless, but I really don't understand it. I've been wanting to read up more about genetics, but I'm not sure if even that would help me to understand genes better in relation to IBD.
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