Lectin recruits pathogenic bugs

Colitis is an irritable bowel disorder affecting about 7 million patients worldwide, but the causes are diverse and not fully understood. In this issue, Matute et al. (2022. J. Exp. Med.) found that a stress-induced lectin, intelectin-1, recruits pathogenic bacteria to the gut and exacerbates colitis.

Automated summary

In this study, it was discovered that the stress-induced lectin, intelectin-1, recruits pathogenic bacteria to the gut which worsens the symptoms of colitis. This research is significant for understanding the etiology and treatment of colitis.