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World J Gastroenterol. Jun 21, 2006; 12(23): 3645-3650
Published online Jun 21, 2006. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v12.i23.3645
Immunogenetic phenotypes in inflammatory bowel disease
Marla C Dubinsky, Kent Taylor, Stephan R Targan, Jerome I Rotter
Marla C Dubinsky, Kent Taylor, Stephan R Targan, Jerome I Rotter, Departments of Pediatrics, Medicine and Medical Genetics Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles CA, United States
Correspondence to: Marla Dubinsky, Director Pediatric IBD Center, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, suite 1165W Los Angeles CA 90048, United States. marla.dubinsky@cshs.org
Telephone: +1-310-4237100 Fax: +1-310-4231402
Received: March 27, 2006
Revised: March 28, 2006
Accepted: April 16, 2006
Published online: June 21, 2006
Abstract

The currently accepted etiopathogenic hypothesis suggests that the chronic intestinal inflammation and related systemic manifestations characteristic of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are due to an overly aggressive or pathologic immune response to resident luminal bacterial constituents. Predisposing factors are genetic dysregulation of mucosal immune responses and/or barrier function, with onset triggered by environmental stimuli. These factors and their interactions may also be important determinants of disease phenotype and disease progression. The emergence of immunogenetic phenotypes lends support to the proposed hypothesis that susceptibility genes regulate distinct immune processes, driven by luminal antigens, expressed as specific immune phenotypes which in turn influence clinical phenotypes in IBD patients.

Keywords: Inflammatory bowel disease; Immune reactivity; Disease phenotype