Antibiotics disrupt the protective intestinal mucosa and boost the risk of IBD

In a groundbreaking study published today in Advances in scienceDr. Shai Bel and his research team at Bar-Ilan University’s Azrieli Faculty of Medicine have uncovered key information on how antibiotic apply increases the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

The study found that antibiotics disrupt the protective mucus layer in the gut, a finding that could change our understanding of how antibiotics affect the development of IBD.

IBD, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affects about 1% of the world’s population. This devastating disease is characterized by the erosion of the mucosal layer, which serves as a critical barrier between the gut microbiome and the immune system. Despite ongoing research, the exact causes of IBD remain unclear. However, previous studies have linked antibiotic apply to an increased risk of developing IBD.

Dr. Bel’s latest research sheds up-to-date delicate on this connection. “We found that antibiotic apply actually disrupts the protective mucus layer that separates the immune system in the gut from the microbiome,” says Dr. Bel. His team’s research reveals that antibiotics, whether taken orally or by injection, disrupt this imperative mucus layer, making it easier for bacteria to penetrate and increasing the risk of gut inflammation.

Using advanced techniques such as RNA sequencing, machine learning, and mucus secretion measurement, the researchers studied the effects of antibiotics in mouse models. The study found that antibiotics impede the secretion of protective mucus, leading to bacterial infiltration, systemic bacterial antigen replication, and ulcer development—hallmarks of IBD.

One of the most striking findings of the study is that the effect of antibiotics on the mucosal barrier is not due to changes in the microbiome, but rather to an effect on cells in the gut wall responsible for producing mucus.

This discovery disrupts the paradigm that antibiotics only harm bacteria, not our own cells.

Dr. Shai Bel, Azrieli Faculty of Medicine, Bar-Ilan University

As a next step, the research team plans to investigate potential treatments that could mitigate the negative effects of antibiotics on mucus secretion. These findings not only advance our understanding of IBD, but also underscore the need to carefully consider antibiotic apply and its broader implications for gut health.