A New Look at Crohn's Disease

Crohn's disease (CD), a chronic inflammatory disease of the intestinal mucosa is usually located in the small intestine (ileum) and or in the colon. Ileal CD has been linked to a mutation in the NOD2 gene, a bacterial recognition protein. A disturbed antimicrobial defense as provided by an arsenal of different epithelial defensins seems to be a critical factor in disease pathogenesis. Defensins are antimicrobial peptides and in the ileum are...