University of Houston Researchers Identify Cancer Drug Repurposing Strategy to Heal Gut Barriers in Crohn’s Disease

University of Houston biologists find that pazopanib and ponatinib can repair the gut barrier in Crohn’s disease by stopping cellular stress and necroptosis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 28, 2026, 6:02 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from University of Houston

A Fundamental Shift in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Strategy

Crohn’s disease affects approximately one million Americans, primarily causing the immune system to attack the epithelial lining of the gastrointestinal tract. Traditional treatments have long focused on suppressing this immune response to manage symptomatic flares, yet only 20% of patients achieve long-term remission through these methods. A collaborative research team from the University of Houston, Baylor College of Medicine, and MD Anderson Cancer Center has proposed a paradigm shift, suggesting that the primary driver of the disease is actually an inherent defect in the gut barrier itself. By addressing this structural failure, researchers aim to stop the inflammatory cycle at its source rather than merely treating the resulting symptoms.

The Role of Chronic Stress and Programmed Cell Death

Under normal conditions, the human gut lining possesses a remarkable ability to regenerate following minor injuries or stress. However, the intestines of Crohn’s patients appear to be trapped in a state of permanent cellular dysfunction. According to Seema Khurana, a Moores Professor at UH, healthy cells successfully toggle stress signals on and off as needed, but in Crohn's patients, these signals remain permanently activated. This chronic state eventually triggers necroptosis, a form of programmed cell death that prevents the intestinal lining from repairing itself and subsequently leaks toxins into the body, fueling the very inflammation doctors strive to suppress.

Repurposing Oncology Drugs for Epithelial Repair

The breakthrough identified in the journal Gastro Hep Advances involves the strategic use of pazopanib and ponatinib, two medications currently approved by the FDA for the treatment of various cancers. The researchers found that low concentrations of these drugs can inhibit the specific signaling pathways responsible for the persistent stress response and necroptosis. By "switching off" these faulty signals, the drugs allow the epithelial cells to survive and initiate the natural regeneration of the gut barrier. This method does not just pause the immune attack, but actively restores the physical shield that prevents bacteria from entering the bloodstream.