Fan et al. (2018) also reported that the exposure of moderately and highly AENA-positive sera from IBS patients to cultured myenteric neurons of Guinea pigs and human SH-Sy5Y cells led to neuronal apoptosis with a significant increase in the expression of anti-active caspase 3, TUNEL-positive cells, cleaved caspase 3, and pro-apoptotic factor Bax, and a decrease in inhibitor of apoptosis Bcl-2 [69]. This evidence concerns the gene CASP3 and irritable bowel syndrome.