Ileal immune maturation in Pediatric Crohn''s Disease

We report the global pattern of ileal gene expression in a cohort of 310 treatment-naïve pediatric Crohn Disease patients and controls. We focus on genes with consistent altered expression in the ileum of younger (Paris age A1a) vs older (Paris age A1b) patients. Overall design: Ileal biopsies were obtained during diagnostic colonoscopies of children and adolescents aged less than 17 years, who presented with IBD-like symptoms. All patients underwent baseline colonoscopy and histological characterization; non-IBD controls were those with suspected IBD, but with normal radiographic, endoscopic, and histologic findings. Biopsies were stored at -80 degrees.