Divergent Roles for the IL-1 Family in Gastrointestinal Homeostasis and Inflammation
Inflammatory disorders of the gastro-intestinal tract are a major cause of morbidity and significant
burden from a health and economic perspective in industrialized countries. While the incidence of
such conditions has a strong environmental component, in particular dietary composition,
epidemiological studies have identified specific hereditary mutations which result in disequilibrium
between pro- and anti-inflammatory factors. The IL-1 super-family of cytokines and receptors is highly
pleiotropic and plays a fundamental role in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune and
inflammatory conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis and psoriasis. However, the
role of this super-family in the aetiology of inflammatory bowel diseases remains incompletely
resolved despite extensive research. Herein, we highlight the currently accepted paradigms as they
pertain to specific IL-1 family members and focus on some recently described non-classical roles for
these pathways in the gastrointestinal tract. Finally, we address some of the shortcomings and sources
of variance in the field which to date have yielded several conflicting results from similar studies and
discuss the potential effect of these factors on data interpretation.
Source: Frontiers in Immunology - Category: Allergy & Immunology Source Type: research
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