Expanding Contributions of Monogenic Very Early Onset Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Currently over 70 genes known to be causative in very early onset inflammatory bowel disease (VEOIBD) have been identified. In the current issue of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, 2 articles describing monogenetic forms of VEOIBD are highlighted. One describes a patient with life-threatening VEOIBD and a mutation in ITGA6, illustrating the importance of the epithelial barrier in maintaining mucosal homeostasis. The other describes the presentation and management of 10 patients with VEOIBD secondary to damaging mutations in MVK, resulting in mevalonate kinase deficiency. Though most monogenic causes of VEOIBD remain "private," understanding the different categories of pathways affected in children with VEOIBD is critical and has already resulted in invaluable insight in the management of patients with VEOIBD and may hold strong implications for the care of IBD overall.