SummaryEnvironmental triggers play a major role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a ligand activated transcription factor that responds to environmental ligands. These can be found in the diet and are derived from vegetables of the Brassicaceae family, such as cabbage or broccoli. The AHR is active in intestinal immune cells and contributes to intestinal barrier homeostasis. Preclinical models have shown that lack of dietary AHR ligands exacerbates intestinal inflammation, while dietary supplementation with AHR ligands ameliorates disease. In humans, genetic variation at the AHR locus predisposes to IBD. This suggests that the modulation of AHR activity plays a role in the pathogenesis of IBD and that dietary AHR ligands may prevent the development of IBD. Here, we aim to analyse the effect of nutrition on IBD incidence in the NAKO study. The results may improve dietary recommendations for individuals at risk of IBD development. Specifically, we would like to relate plant-based diet indices as well as AHR-Ligand-rich nutriens to prevalent and incident IBD.

Keywords Brassicaceae Inflammatory-bowel-disease ary-hydrocarbon-receptor nutrition

InstitutionsUniversitätsklinikum Bonn, The Francis Crick Institute, Francis Crick Institute, Charite - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institut für Epidemiologie, UKSH Campus Kiel, Universität Kiel