Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory
disorder and one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the
gastrointestinal (GI) tract in young adults. It is now equally prevalent in
Western countries as well as in Asian countries. Immune dysregulation in the GI
tract incited by various pathogenic stimuli has also gained great attention
from researchers in the field of IBD. Recently, there has been an increasing
IBD burden in low- to middle-income countries as opposed to the earlier notion
of this being a disease of affluence. It occurs due to a variety of factors,
namely, local immune alteration, disruption, and inflammation of the mucosa,
environmental factors, microbial commensals, and pathogen-induced genetic
predisposition or genetic alteration in protective factors, etc. IBD majorly
includes two forms of disease, namely, Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative
colitis (UC). UC presents as mucosal inflammation, particularly involving the
colon, while CD manifests as patchy inflammation within the proximal colon,
mainly the ileum.
So far, an exact etiopathogenesis of IBD is yet to be completely elucidated.
Several recent research have emphasized the role of altered innate and humoral
immunity in its causation, many of them based on animal models of IBD. Due to
the poor understanding of its etiopathogenesis, IBD is still a challenge for
the treating clinicians leading to persistent and recurrent disease in many
cases.
Immune dysregulation in the GI tract incited by various pathogenic stimuli has
gained great attention from researchers in the field of IBD. This review
focuses on highlighting the role of various T cell subsets, their interplay,
and associated cytokines involved in the
pathogenesis of IBD along with a short description of genetic as well as other
immunological factors. This will help to assess the Th lineage-specific transcription
factors (TFs) and associated cytokines involved in the etiopathogenesis of IBD.
A better understanding of the pathogenic factors and subsequent randomized
controlled trials targeting these factors is prudent for better therapeutic
approaches for IBD. Immune dysregulation and its clear understanding will help
to address this prevalent disease more precisely.
Author(s) Details:
Shreekant Bharti,
Department of Pathology/Laboratory Medicine, All India Institute of
Medical Sciences Patna, Patna, India.
Mridushri
Bharti,
Department
of Microbiology, Netaji Subhas Medical College and Hospital, Patna, India.
Please see the link here: https://stm.bookpi.org/RUDHR-V1/article/view/13221
