Antibodies were applied to the CLE patients and demonstrated increased levels of the SPP24 peptide in symptomatic IBD patients compared to asymptomatic patients (Symptoms related to disease activity and bowel movements), and endoscopically severe compared to non-severe patients (indicative of mucosal healing) Fig. 4A. A similar trend to decreased SPP24 peptide was observed when comparing patients categorised as in remission by histological means with inflammation influential (but not the only factor) in the levels of the peptide. This evidence concerns the gene SPP2 and inflammatory bowel disease.