Photo of Johan D Söderholm

Johan D Söderholm

Professor Emeritus

The role of mucosal barrier function in the initiation of intestinal inflammation

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are characterized by severe chronic intestinal inflammation bearing huge impact on the quality of life

Incidence is high and escalating, and current treatments lack in efficacy and safety. Our overall aim is to elucidate mechanisms of epithelial barrier function, its role in interacting with commensal bacteria, and how this communication can be converted to the induction of IBD.

The studies will be based on our specific expertise and unique methodology (micro systems for studies of gut physiology in endoscopic biopsies; availability to inflamed and normal human intestinal mucosa), complemented with know-how from international and national partners to guarantee proficiency in all details. Recent original findings from our laboratory have demonstrated neuropeptide-releasing eosinophils as a previously missing link in the regulation of the epithelial barrier in ulcerative colitis. The importance of the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) in Crohn¿s disease has also been established.

In the planned projects we anticipate providing novel data on neuro-immune interaction with gut microbiota and probiotics at the frontline, i.e. the intestinal barrier (including FAE, mast cells, and eosinophils) during inflammation and stress. We will thereby increase the understanding of crucial steps in the pathogenesis of IBD and disease relapse, ultimately leading to novel therapeutic approaches for these debilitating diseases.

Collaborators

Publications

2025

Eleftheria Pertsinidou, Benita Salomon, Daniel Bergemalm, Samira Salihovic, Charlotte R. H. Hedin, Maria Ling Lundstrom, Åsa Keita, Maria K. Magnusson, Carl Eriksson, May-Bente Bengtson, Olle Granno, Tone B. Aabrekk, Robert Moverare, Niclas Rydell, Helena Ekoff, Johan Ronnelid, Mauro D'Amato, Trond E. Detlie, Gert Huppertz-Hauss, Randi Opheim, Petr Ricanek, Vendel A. Kristensen, Lena Ohman, Johan D Söderholm, Robert Kruse, Carl M. Lindqvist, Marie Carlson, Dirk Repsilber, Marte L. Hoivik, Jonas Halfvarson (2025) Anti-integrin avß6 IgG antibody as a diagnostic and prognostic marker in ulcerative colitis: A cross-sectional and longitudinal study defining a specific disease phenotype Journal of Crohn's & Colitis, Vol. 19, Article jjaf062 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Pauline Huyghe, Matthias Ceulemans, Åsa Keita, Johan D Söderholm, Inge Depoortere, Jan Tack, Lucas Wauters, Tim Vanuytsel (2025) The Duodenal Microenvironment in Functional Dyspepsia JOURNAL OF NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY AND MOTILITY, Vol. 31, p. 186-198 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI
Benita Salomon, Olle Granno, Daniel Bergemalm, Hans Strid, Adam Carstens, Henrik Hjortswang, Maria Ling Lundstrom, Johann P. Hreinsson, Sven Almer, Franscesca Bresso, Carl Eriksson, Olof Grip, Andre Blomberg, Jan Marsal, Niloofar Nikaein, Shoaib Bakhtyar, Carl Marten Lindqvist, Elisabeth Hultgren Hornquist, Maria K. Magnusson, Åsa Keita, Mauro D'Amato, Dirk Repsilber, Lena Ohman, Johan D Söderholm, Marie Carlson, Charlotte R. H. Hedin, Robert Kruse, Jonas Halfvarson (2025) Cohort profile: the Swedish Inception Cohort in inflammatory bowel disease (SIC-IBD) BMJ Open, Vol. 15, Article e099218 (Article in journal) Continue to DOI

Organisation