Immunsvar och inflammation vid Crohns sjukdom. Snart mojligt driva diagnostiken langre och utveckla mer specifika lakemedel

The chronic inflammation in Crohn's disease may be caused by aggressive response to bacterial antigens normal to the gut. Genetic and environmental factors modify the inflammatory response evoked by damage to the mucosal gut barrier. Genetic factors may also determine the subsequent course of chronic inflammation. Further elucidation of the pathogenesis might improve our understanding of the heterogenous nature of Crohn's disease, thus enabling the disease to be subtyped and individualised therapy directed primarily at down-regulation of helper T-cell-1 response to be developed.