Section A Project A03

Consequences of gut-imprinted immune cell trafficking for bone homeostasis

It is well established that IBD is associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. In this project, we hypothesize that the trafficking of gut-imprinted immune and in particular T cells from the inflamed intestine to the bone triggers osteoclast activation and leads to inflammatory bone loss. Our preliminary data show that bone density is reduced in mice with experimental colitis, which is accompanied by an infiltration with T cells with a specific migratory profile. Thus, we will study how colitis affects gut-to-bone T cell trafficking and how gut-imprinted T cells impact on bone homeostasis. Moreover, we will profile a cohort of patients with IBD to determine T cell trafficking along the gut-bone-axis in humans.