The role of cytokine and immune responses in intestinal fibrosis

• Published in: Journal of digestive diseases Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. 308 - 314
• Main Authors: Yang, Bo, Zhang, Ge, Elias, Michael, Zhu, Yijun, Wang, Jie
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Melbourne Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd 01-06-2020; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: cytokine; Cytokines; Cytokines - immunology; Fibrosis; Fibrosis - immunology; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - immunology; host‐microbiome interaction; Humans; immune cell trafficking; Immune response; Immunity - immunology; Inflammatory bowel disease; Inflammatory bowel diseases; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - immunology; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - pathology; intestinal fibrosis; Intestine; Intestines - immunology; Intestines - pathology; Microbiomes; Public health; Stenosis; cytokine; host-microbiome interaction; inflammatory bowel diseases; immune cell trafficking; intestinal fibrosis
• ISSN: 1751-2972; 1751-2980
• DOI: 10.1111/1751-2980.12879

The rapidly increasing incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in South America, eastern Europe, Asia, and Africa has resulted in a global public health challenge. Intestinal fibrosis is a common complication in patients with long‐term IBD, which may develop into stenosis and subsequent obstruction. Hitherto, the origin of IBD is unclear and several factors may be involved, including genetic, immune, environmental and microbial influences. Little is known about how the recurrent inflammation in patients with IBD develops into intestinal fibrosis and currently, there is no suitable treatment to reverse intestinal fibrosis in these patients. Here, we review the role of immune components in the pathogenesis of IBD and intestinal fibrosis, including cytokine networks, host–microbiome interactions, and immune cell trafficking.