Review Article
Kazuhiko Uchiyama, Tomohisa
Abstract
Therapeutic strategies for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), particularly biological therapies, have been developed recently. The pathogenesis of IBD is based on complicated cytokine-mediated signaling pathways, which represent future drug targets. Recent data have shown that these pathways induce intestinal T-cell activation, which is a central process in disease pathogenesis, via inflammatory mediators. These inflammatory mediators, including cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-12/IL-23, and IL-10, may play important roles in disease pathogenesis, and therefore represent potential therapeutic targets. These strategies may lead to new therapeutic drugs that are more effective and less toxic in IBD.