METHODS AND AGENTS FOR EVALUATING INFLAMMATORY BOWEL DISEASE, AND TARGETS FOR TREATMENT

摘要

The invention provides methods for evaluating irritable bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, methods for determining a patient's susceptibility to developing an IBD, and methods for determining a patient's IBD genotype. The invention includes methods, polynucleotides, polypeptides, and antibodies relating to disclosed variants of, and polymorphisms in, the nel-like 1 precursor (NELL1), as well as the 5p13.1 locus, and other genes disclosed herein to be associated with IBD. Thus, the invention provides diagnostic and/or therapeutic targets for IBD, as well as diagnostic and therapeutic agents for IBD.