Role of regulatory T cell in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease

Figure 1 Molecular contribution to the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. In the lesions of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a various immune cells and epithelial cells contribute to the onset or development of the disease. Imbalance between cytokines or abnormal expression of chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules through several transcription factors in immune cells including effector T cell influences the pathogenesis of IBD. Decreased number of T_reg cells and abnormal differentiation of T_reg cells into effector-like phenotype are observed in the IBD lesions.