Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain
the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in
Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles
and JavaScript.
In this Review, Pabst and colleagues discuss the gut–liver axis, with an emphasis on the establishment and regulation of structural and functional barriers, dynamics within the axis (immune responses and microbiome) and clinical implications.
The appendix is thought to have a role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis but the association remains unclear. In this Perspective, the authors consider the biology of the appendix with respect to its immunological function and the microbiome, and how this relates to its possible involvement in ulcerative colitis.
A prospective study suggests that the risk of liver fibrosis with methotrexate treatment has been overestimated. The findings suggest the need to reconsider the intensive strategies and the screening tools that are recommended for monitoring liver fibrosis in patients receiving methotrexate.
IL-12 and IL-23 have been implicated in inflammatory bowel disease. In this Review, Vande Casteele and colleagues summarize the mechanistic role of IL-12 and IL-23 in inflammatory bowel disease, and discuss the clinical development of drugs targeting IL-12 and/or IL-23.
Macrophages are critical for maintaining intestinal homeostasis, yet are implicated in chronic intestinal inflammation. This Review provides detailed insights into the biology of macrophages in the context of inflammatory bowel disease and discusses future perspectives.
In a study published in Nature, new data have highlighted the bacterial strain-level sharing rates of mother–offspring pairs, twins, families, cohabiting individuals and individuals within a population, as well as those between different populations, providing a comprehensive view of the transmission landscape of the intestinal and oral microbiome in humans. These findings highlight the need to reassess diseases currently considered to be non-communicable and underscore the importance of considering social structure and transmissibility in the design of microbial studies.
Barrett oesophagus is not detected before its progression to oesophageal adenocarcinoma in over one-half of patients, and improvements in screening for Barrett oesophagus in primary care could substantially reduce mortality associated with this cancer. Advances in screening technology will help, but collaboration of gastroenterologists with primary care providers is essential.
This Review provides an overview of the global epidemiology and burden of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, identifying gaps in the HBV care cascade and proposing some solutions to help reach the goal of WHO to eliminate HBV as a public health threat by 2030.
The treatment landscape of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is constantly evolving, including among pregnant women and those who wish to become pregnant. This Review provides a detailed update on the management of patients with IBD during pregnancy and breastfeeding.