gut health

CD209

Can This Gene Influence Your Risk of Gut Inflammation? (CD209)

Written by Carlos Tello, PhD on August 27th, 2020

CD209 is an immune system protein that recognizes harmful bacteria and activates the immune response. A variant has been associated with an increased incidence of ulcerative colitis and celiac disease in people otherwise not predisposed to these conditions. Read below to learn more.

The CD209 Gene In the Immune Response

CD209 encodes a type of protein called a ‘C-lectin’, meaning it can bind to some carbohydrates. CD209 recognizes molecules on the surface of some bacteria and activates immune responses [R, R, R].

This protein is found on the surface of two immune cell types [R]:

Macrophages: upon recognition by CD209, these cells engulf and ‘eat’ bacteria.
Dendritic cells: binding of the bacteria to CD209 promotes the migration of these cells to inflammation sites, where they stimulate the development of immature T cells.

CD209 is an immune system protein that recognizes bacteria and activates the immune response.

CD209 Variants & Gut Inflammation

Rather than causing gut issues, the minor ‘G’ allele at rs4804803 suppresses the protective effects of certain HLA variants.

For instance, this polymorphism isn’t associated with IBD but increased susceptibility to ulcerative colitis in carriers of a protective variant at HLA-DR3 [R].

Similarly, this variant wasn’t associated with celiac disease but increased susceptibility in people not carrying the risk variant at HLA-DQ2 [R].

Because this variant reduces gene expression, the lower immune response may increase the persistence of harmful bacteria in the gut and cause chronic inflammation [R].

Interestingly, CD209 could bind to carbohydrate-bound proteins from peanuts, soy, tree nuts, egg, and milk in test tubes, and activated dendritic cells. This suggests a role for this protein in food allergies [R].

An underactive CD209 variant increases the risk of ulcerative colitis and celiac disease in people otherwise not susceptible to these conditions. Preliminary research suggests a role for this protein in food allergies.

Your CD209 Results for Gut Inflammation

SNP Table

variant	genotype	frequency	risk allele
rs4804803

SNP Summary and Table

CD209 rs4804803

‘A’ = Not associated with gut issues
‘G’ = Increases the risk of ulcerative colitis and celiac disease in people otherwise not predisposed to these conditions

Recommendations

Korean Red Ginseng

Korean red ginseng contains polysaccharides that can bind to C-type lectin receptors like CD209 and boost the immune response. This plant is also rich in antiinflammatory chemicals called ginsenosides and responsible for many of its effects [R, R].

The active compounds of ginseng reduced inflammation and promoted tissue regeneration in the guts of mice and rats with colitis [R, R, R].

Korean red ginseng may bind to CD209, boost the immune response, and suppress gut inflammation.

Carlos Tello

PhD

Carlos received his PhD and MS from the Universidad de Sevilla.

Carlos spent 8 years in the laboratory investigating mineral transport in plants. He then started working as a freelancer, mainly in science writing, editing, and consulting. Carlos is passionate about learning the mechanisms behind biological processes and communicating science to both academic and lay audiences. He strongly believes that scientific literacy is crucial to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and avoiding falling for scams.

Disclaimer

The information on this website has not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration or any other official medical body. This information is presented for educational purposes only, and may not be used to diagnose or treat any illness or disease.

Also keep in mind that the “Risk Score” presented in this post is based only on a select number of SNPs, and therefore only represents a small portion of your total risk as an individual. Furthermore, these analyses are based primarily on associational studies, which do not necessarily imply causation. Finally, many other (non-genetic) factors can also play a significant role in the development of a disease or health condition — therefore, carrying any of the risk-associated genotypes discussed in this post does not necessarily mean you are at increased risk of developing a major health condition.

Always consult your doctor before acting on any information or recommendations discussed in this post — especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have been officially diagnosed with a medical condition.

More gut health blogs

Could This Gene Be Linked To Gut Inflammation? (ATG16L1) Could This Gene Play A Role In Inflammatory Bowel Disease? (STAT3) How Do Your Genes Respond to Dietary Fat? (TCF7L2) Do Your Genes Favor the Mediterranean Diet? (TCF7L2) How Does this Serotonin Receptor Affect Gut Inflammation? (HTR3E) The Impact of a Serotonin Receptor on IBS-D (HTR3A) How Can Neurotrophins Affect Gut Inflammation? (BDNF) Could Your IBS Symptoms Be Caused by an Enzyme Deficiency? (SI) What is the Connection Between β-Klotho and Gut Inflammation? (KLB) Can This Gene Worsen Gut Inflammation? (NOS2)

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The CD209 Gene In the Immune Response CD209 Variants & Gut Inflammation Your CD209 Results for Gut Inflammation

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