Protein's second role in inflammation could reshape treatment for Crohn's, arthritis and heart disease

MedicalXpress | Apr 24, 2026

A protein long understood to drive inflammation by producing nitric oxide has a second, previously unknown role—it physically binds to another key protein inside cells to directly modulate the immune response. The discovery, published in Nature Metabolism, could open new routes to treating conditions such as cardiovascular disease, arthritis, Crohn's and other inflammatory diseases.