title: New therapeutic strategies for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
abstract: Although the precise etiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) still remains unclear, considerable progress has been made in the identification of cytokine-mediated signaling pathways involved in the inflammatory process. Recent data have clearly shown that these pathways induce augmented intestinal T-cell activation and thus resistance to apoptosis, which is a central process in disease pathogenesis, as it impairs mucosal homeostasis. Therefore, novel therapeutic strategies aim at restoring activated effector T-cell susceptibility to apoptosis in the gut, based on a pathophysiological rationale. This development is best exemplified by the emergence of agents that target the TNF pathway, IL-6 trans-signaling, and the IL-12/IL-23 pathway. These compounds give hope for the development of new strategies aiming at more effective and less toxic therapies for IBD.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine and I. Medical Clinic, University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atreya
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Neurath
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis; D016207:Cytokines / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines