# UofL researchers detail how natural compound protects against IBD **Published:** 2026-06-24T15:29:43.000Z **Source:** [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188238/2026/06/uofl-scientists-unlocking-potential-treatment-for-crohns-ibd/) **AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) **Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/uofl-researchers-detail-how-natural-compound-protects-against-ibd University of Louisville researchers have discovered a mechanism by which a naturally occurring microbial metabolite may help protect the gut and support future treatment strategies for inflammatory bowel disease, according to [reporting by the Lane Report](https://www.lanereport.com/188238/2026/06/uofl-scientists-unlocking-potential-treatment-for-crohns-ibd/). The findings, published in the journal Nature Communications, could reshape how doctors approach IBD treatment. A research team led by Venkatakrishna Rao Jala, associate professor in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at UofL's Brown Cancer Center, discovered how urolithin A, or UroA, a microbial metabolite generated by gut bacteria after digestion of foods such as pomegranates, walnuts and berries, activates a protective pathway in the intestine. The compound targets a protein called the aryl hydrocarbon receptor, or AHR, which acts as a sensor for environmental, dietary and microbial signals. IBD, which includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, affects millions of people worldwide, with estimates suggesting nearly 3 million Americans currently have the disease. The condition is characterized by chronic inflammation and damage to the intestinal lining. In people with IBD, the gut barrier becomes weakened, leading to inflammation, pain and long-term complications. The UofL team found that UroA selectively activates AHR in intestinal epithelial cells, the specialized cells that line and protect the gut. That targeted activation triggers a cellular defense system known as the NLRP6 inflammasome, which releases molecules that maintain normal intestinal function, repair the gut lining, strengthen the intestinal barrier, increase protective mucus production and enhance antimicrobial defenses. "The findings show that not all inflammatory pathways are harmful," said Sweta Ghosh, who led the study as a postdoctoral researcher in Jala's laboratory. "Under the right conditions and in the right cells, these pathways can play an essential role in maintaining gut health and supporting tissue repair." The team confirmed the mechanism using cell and organoid studies, as well as intestinal tissue samples from patients with IBD, demonstrating that UroA activated the same protective pathway in human tissue. The research indicates that rather than broadly suppressing the immune system, it may be possible to develop new therapies that target specific protective pathways in certain cell types. Jala has previously led research demonstrating the beneficial effects of UroA in the gut. This latest study furthers that work by revealing how UroA interacts with the immune system to improve intestinal health and may offer new possibilities for combating IBD. ## Sources - [Lane Report (KY Business)](https://www.lanereport.com/188238/2026/06/uofl-scientists-unlocking-potential-treatment-for-crohns-ibd/) - [CDC data on IBD prevalence in the United States](https://www.cdc.gov/inflammatory-bowel-disease/php/facts-stats/index.html) --- This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from Lane Report (KY Business), enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://www.lanereport.com/188238/2026/06/uofl-scientists-unlocking-potential-treatment-for-crohns-ibd/.