Aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): role of intestinal microbiota and gut-associated lymphoid tissue immune response.
The aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) probably involves a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental factors that may be channelled through an abnormality in gut-barrier function, with a loss of antigen tolerance. Some genetic markers that predispose to inflammatory disease have been identified (alleles DR2, DRB1*0103, DRB1*12 and mutations in the NOD2/CARD15 gene on chromosome 16). Alterations in the pattern of cytokine production by T cell subclasses leading to loss of tolerance to oral antigens have been documented. Moreover, a number of environmental factors (cigarette smoking, use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs, psychological stress and the presence of the caecal appendix) have been postulated as a trigger of IBD. It has also been suggested that the gut microbiota plays a major role in the development and persistence of IBD, and numerous modifications of intestinal microbiota composition have been identified. As a result, manipulation of the microbiota with antibiotics is a current therapeutic strategy; more recently, however, a number of studies have reported promising results when using probiotic organisms to manipulate gut microbiota composition in order to restore tolerance to microbial antigens of the host's own microbiota.
Thompson-Chagoyán
Oscar C
OC
Department of Paediatrics, Los Venados General Hospital, Mexican Institute of Social Security, México City, México.
Maldonado
José
J
Gil
Angel
A
D000818:Animals; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D008221:Lymphoid Tissue / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use