title: Cytokines and irritable bowel syndrome: where do we stand?
abstract: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a functional gastrointestinal disorder, which presents with one or more gastrointestinal symptoms without any structural or organic abnormality. The etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms of IBS remain uncertain. Residual or reactivated inflammation at the molecular level is considered the underlying mechanism of post-infectious IBS. On the other hand, genetic variations in the immunological components of the body, including cytokine gene polymorphisms, are proposed as a potential mechanism of IBS even in patients without previous gastrointestinal infection. Several studies have suggested imbalanced cytokine signaling as an etiology for IBS. In this review, recent findings on cytokine profiles and cytokine gene polymorphisms in patients with IBS are described and the role of cytokines in animal models of IBS is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Research Group, Snyder Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation and Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada. mbashash@ucalgary.ca
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bashashati
authors.forename: Nima
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rezaei
authors.forename: Christopher N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: Chun-Qiu
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nasser Ebrahimi
authors.initials: NE
authors.lastname: Daryani
authors.forename: Keith A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Sharkey
authors.forename: Martin A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Storr
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016207:Cytokines / Q000145:classification / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D043183:Irritable Bowel Syndrome / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines