Evolving knowledge and therapy of inflammatory bowel disease.

Abstract

With recent advances in the understanding of its pathophysiology, inflammatory bowel disease has become a very active area for the development of novel therapeutic agents. New targets for biologics include cytokines involved in T-cell activation, with antibodies directed against IL-12 and interferon-gamma. Selective adhesion molecule blockade has produced promising, though mixed, results. Recombinant human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor might be effective in active Crohn's disease, presumably through stimulation of intestinal innate immune responses. With increasing evidence for a crucial role for luminal flora in maintaining the health of the bowel, strategies to manipulate intestinal bacteria using probiotics and prebiotics are being actively investigated as well.

• Authors: Joshua R Korzenik, Daniel K Podolsky
• Journal: Nature reviews. Drug discovery (Nat Rev Drug Discov) Vol. 5 Issue 3 Pg. 197-209 (Mar 2006) ISSN: 1474-1776 [Print] England
• PMID: 16518373 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Cytokines
• Recombinant Proteins
• Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor

Topics

• Animals
• Antibodies, Monoclonal (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Clinical Trials as Topic
• Cytokines (immunology)
• Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Immunity, Innate (drug effects)
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (etiology, immunology, microbiology, therapy)
• Probiotics (administration & dosage, therapeutic use)
• Recombinant Proteins
• T-Lymphocytes (drug effects, immunology)