Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with increased intestinal extrachromosomal circular DNA: an emerging biomarker for IBD type and activity - Summary - MDSpire

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with increased intestinal extrachromosomal circular DNA: an emerging biomarker for IBD type and activity

  • By

  • Valentina Petito

  • Daniela Gerovska

  • Antonia Piazzesi

  • Federica di Vincenzo

  • Alessandra Russo

  • Laura Turchini

  • Letizia Masi

  • Valeria Emoli

  • Elisabetta Tabolacci

  • Maria Cristina Giustiniani

  • Tommaso Mazza

  • Lucrezia Laterza

  • Alfredo Papa

  • Loris R Lopetuso

  • Lorenza Putignani

  • Antonio Gasbarrini

  • Marcos J Araúzo-Bravo

  • Franco Scaldaferri

  • December 29, 2025

  • 0 min

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Objective:

To investigate the presence and potential of extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) as a biomarker in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), highlighting its significance in disease management.

Key Findings:
  • IBD patients exhibited significantly higher levels of eccDNA compared to healthy controls.
  • Active ulcerative colitis patients had increased eccDNA levels compared to those in remission.
  • Crohn’s disease patients showed more eccDNAs than healthy controls, though the difference between active and inactive states was less pronounced.
  • Specific gene fragments, such as NRG1 and ZPMF2, were consistently found in eccDNAs from IBD patients, indicating an IBD-specific eccDNA pattern.
Interpretation:

The findings suggest that eccDNA may serve as a promising biomarker for identifying disease type and activity in IBD patients, potentially aiding in therapy response prediction and improving patient management.

Limitations:
  • The study was monocentric and may not represent a broader population, introducing potential biases.
  • The sample size for each disease type was relatively small.
Conclusion:

The study highlights the potential of eccDNA as a novel biomarker for IBD, particularly in distinguishing active disease states and guiding treatment decisions.

Original Source(s)

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with increased intestinal extrachromosomal circular DNA: an emerging biomarker for IBD type and activity

  • by Valentina Petito, Daniela Gerovska, Antonia Piazzesi, Federica di Vincenzo, Alessandra Russo, Laura Turchini, Letizia Masi, Valeria Emoli, Elisabetta Tabolacci, Maria Cristina Giustiniani, Tommaso Mazza, Lucrezia Laterza, Alfredo Papa, Loris R Lopetuso, Lorenza Putignani, Antonio Gasbarrini, Marcos J Araúzo-Bravo, Franco Scaldaferri

  • December 29, 2025

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