The Role of Cytokines in the Fibrotic Responses in Crohn’s Disease

Abstract

Crohn?s disease is an idiopathic disorder of the gut thought to be caused by a combination<br />of environmental and genetic factors in susceptible individuals. It is characterized by<br />chronic transmural inflammation of the terminal ileum and colon, with typical transmural<br />lesions. Complications, including fibrosis, mean that between 40 and 70% of patients<br />require surgery in the first 10 years after diagnosis. Presently, there is no evidence that<br />the current therapies which dampen inflammation modulate or reverse intestinal fibrosis.<br />In this review, we focus on cytokines that may lead to fibrosis and stenosis and the<br />contribution of experimental models for understanding and treatment of gut fibrosis.