Abstract:
Nutrition has a major role particularly in Crohn’s disease, which is one of the major expressions of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), through nutrigenomic and epigenetic regulation of the genes involved. Brassicaceae are the source of important nutrients that are involved in promoting immune function, suppressing inflammation and boosting anti-cancer factors in the body.
The Isothiocyanates, a component of glucosinolates, the phytochemicals almost exclusive to Brassicaceae, have been identified as the major bioactive constituent interacting with particular genotypes to enable this. Isothiocyanates are substrates for the glutathione transferases enzyme glutathione transferease GSTT1 (GSTTI).
The aim of this study was to investigate if there was a link to the null genotype or active or expressed genotype of the GSTT1 gene in association with Brassicaceae intake and the symptoms experienced by people with Crohn’s disease in a Caucasian data set from the IBD Study in Auckland, New Zealand. The GSTT1 positive/null genotypes were determined using the Sequeonum platform and the TaqMan Copy Number Assay on 400 people with Crohn’s disease and 615 controls.
When an adjustment for smoking was made the data indicated a trend with respect to the GSTT1 deletion (-/-) for a beneficial effect on the symptoms of Crohn’s disease from consuming three varieties of Brassicaceae - broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese greens (p=0.015, 0.036, and 0.031 respectively).
The findings of this study indicate that GSST1 deletion in people with Crohn’s disease in a New Zealand cohort may be associated with increased tolerability to specific Brassicaceae.
