title: The corticotropin-releasing factor system in inflammatory bowel disease: prospects for new therapeutic approaches.
abstract: Mounting evidence suggests that stress is implicated in the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), via initial nervous disturbance and subsequent immune dysfunction through brain-gut interactions. The corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) system, being the principal neuroendocrine coordinator of stress responses, is involved in the inflammatory process within the gastrointestinal tract, via vagal and peripheral pathways, as implied by multiple reports reviewed here. Blocking of CRF receptors could theoretically exert beneficial anti-inflammatory effects in colonic tissues. The recently synthesised small-molecule CRF(1) antagonists or alternatively non-peptide CRF(2) antagonists when available, may become new reliable options in the treatment of IBD.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Laboratory of Pharmacology, Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH), DUTH, Dragana, Alexandroupolis 68100, Thrace, Greece.
authors.forename: Konstantinos A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Paschos
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kolios
authors.forename: Ekaterini
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chatzaki
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009434:Neural Pathways / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D010523:Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone