اعلام University of Babylon | PhD Dissertation at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, on Inflammatory Bowel Disease

اعلام University of Babylon - كلية الادارة والاقتصاد

PhD Dissertation at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, on Inflammatory Bowel Disease

By : Zaynab Kadhim Ameen Awadh

Date : 13/7/2025 10:39:09 AM

PhD Dissertation at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
The Department of Microbiology at the College of Medicine, University of Babylon, recently held the defense of the doctoral dissertation submitted by student Zainab Abdul Fattah Muhyi Farhoud, titled “The Effect of Amyloid Protein Expression in the Induction and Regulation of Autoimmune Diseases.” The research was supervised by Professor Maysaa Saleh Al-Shukri and Professor Zainab Adel Ghani Jabak.
The defense was attended by the Administrative Assistant, Professor Mithaq Talib Al-Jubouri, the President of the Academics Syndicate in Babylon, Professor Mushtaq Talib Al-Khafaji, the Assistant Dean for Scientific Affairs, Assistant Professor Ashraf Mohammed Ali Hussein, along with several faculty members, academics, and postgraduate students.
During her defense, the researcher explained that inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is mainly characterized by two conditions: ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, both involving inflammation of the intestines. The biofilms of Escherichia coli consist of bacteria encased in a self-produced matrix. The conserved curli amyloid fibers within intestinal biofilms are closely associated with conditions such as IBD.
The study involved the purification of bacterial amyloids from intestinal E. coli strains isolated from IBD patients and examined their effects on normal colon cells. Curli proteins were purified by ultrafiltration, and contamination with endotoxins was assessed using the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay for endotoxin detection. Endotoxins were then removed using endotoxin removal columns, and the protein purity was validated after detoxification. The concentration of purified amyloid protein was estimated using the Lowry method, with a final concentration of 6 g/L. The protein concentration was also confirmed spectrophotometrically, and the presence of the protein was later confirmed through gel analysis.
The results showed that curli fibers extracted from E. coli induced significant inflammatory and cytotoxic effects on colon cell lines by increasing the production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-33 (IL-33), and altering the gene expression patterns of amyloid peroxidase, Saccharomyces cerevisiae (baker’s yeast), and microRNA-21. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of bacterial amyloids from E. coli in the molecular mechanisms underlying inflammatory bowel disease