Effects of the prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors, DMOG and JNJ42021935, on rat colon motility. (360G-Wellcome-211558_Z_18_Z)

Currently 15,000 people in Ireland are living with Inflammatory bowel disease including Crohn's disease. Such conditions are currently incurable, with consequences for patients varying from vomiting and diarrhoea, to more serious implications such as bleeding and a further progression of the disease. Current anti-inflammatory treatments have significant limitations due to lack of treatment response in some patients. Recent studies using a group of enzymes, (prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors) which can sense oxygen, may represent a new class of therapeutic targets. However, previous research with these enzymes including DMOG & JNJ42021935, has only focused on the inflammatory and hypoxia (low oxygen) effects during the disease. This project seeks to determine if these enzymes have any effects on the contractility of the intestine. By conducting this research, scientific knowledge of hypoxia mimetics and how they interfere with intestinal contractility will be advanced. Furthermore, this research will advance our insight into the usefulness of these agents in inflammatory bowel disease and thus may lead to a more successful therapeutic approach.