A Novel Endoscopic Biopsy Technique for Translational Research in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Immunology
• Translational Research

Background:

• Standard forceps biopsies in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) yield insufficient cellular material for advanced analyses like single-cell and spatial transcriptomics.
• Assessing alternative tissue acquisition methods is crucial for improving diagnostic and research capabilities in IBD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of cold-snare resection for tissue acquisition in patients with active IBD.
• To compare the immune cell composition and tissue quality obtained via cold-snare resection versus standard forceps biopsies.

Main Methods:

• Patients with active IBD underwent endoscopic procedures where one cold-snare resection and two standard biopsies were taken from inflamed mucosa.
• Histology staining and flow cytometry were used to assess sample quality and cellular yield.
• Adverse events were monitored throughout the peri-procedural period and up to 30 days post-procedure.

Main Results:

• Cold-snare resection was successfully performed in all 34 included IBD patients.
• This method yielded significantly higher numbers of T-cells (median 71×10^3 vs. 17×10^3) and innate lymphoid cells (median 576 vs. 127) compared to standard biopsies.
• Only four mild adverse events were reported, indicating a favorable safety profile.

Conclusions:

• Cold-snare resection offers improved mucosal tissue integrity and cellular quality for IBD samples.
• This technique supports its utility in translational research for IBD, enabling more comprehensive molecular analyses.