This research aims to study the influence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) on the onset of ankylosis spondylarthritis (AS) through 3D in vitro modelling of the synovium and gut, in healthy and inflamed states, assessing changes in cell phenotypes and cytokine production. IBD is a chronic disorder of the gastrointestinal tract characterized by intestinal inflammation and epithelial injury often cause by bacterial infection. In the UK around 620k people are affected by it, translating in NHS costs of £1 billion per year1–3. Clinically, up to 35% of patients with IBD display musculoskeletal disorders such as axial and peripheral arthritis syndrome, inferring that these two pathologies are connected. To study how the gut reacts to bacteria (indirect and direct) a 3D model of the gut mucosa will be created using bioprinting and novel biomaterials. This gut model will be subjected to inflammatory stimulus provoked by direct exposure to bacteria metabolites and inflammatory cytokines produced by the immune cells in the host. This is key to study the exchange of biological factors and the permeability of the finalised system and ensure the model functions as the normal gut.
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