>What else is changing to cause this increase?
Anything epigenetic, changes in gene expression. We tend to think of our DNA as unchangeable from birth, but there is both active and inactive DNA and certain things can switch DNA on/off. I'd say we're born with a genetic predispositon of getting UC sometimes within our lives (not a guarantee but rather a higher likelihood of). When depends on various triggers (be it prolonged stress, excessive antibiotic usage, maybe some environmental mold or food factors even) that essentially changes which DNA is activated. We activate our timebomb from birth and that cascade of events that becomes what we call UC to show itself.
Epigenetic changes allow us to adapt to our environment, and for the most part provide beneficial changes which is why it exists. But of course, no system is 100% perfect 100% of the time. Some of us "lucky" folks suffer from it.
The fun bit is what happens when the immune system kills a bacterium or virus? Some explode sending shrapnel bits and pieces of proteins and other molecules into neighboring, healthy cells. The immune system can then suddenly attack that healthy cell as it has foreign/known bad properties to it. If the immune system becomes trained to attack healthy cells, well that's an auto immune illness. Maybe they're hyper-active lymphocytes within us that false-flag healthy cells when due to a genetic-predisposition. *shrug* who knows.
But yeah DNA isn't a 100% causation. If one identical twin has an IBD, what are the lifetime odds of the sibling getting it too? 50%, not the 100% you'd expect if UC was DNA without other variables.
It's fun talk, but hard translating doctor jargon into plain-speech anyone can understand and not loose a lot of inherent meaning :-p
Edit: I cannot spell to save my own life.
Post Edited (iPoop) : 10/15/2019 7:40:55 AM (GMT-6)