Gastrointestinal Therapeutics

Biography

Biography: Maria Gazouli

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\'s disease and ulcerative colitis, are chronic inflammatory diseases with a significant increase in cases in recent years. The exact etiology of IBD remains unknown, while a large number of factors such as environmental effect, immune response, and genetic predisposition are thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of the disease. Genetics cannot explain the increasing incidence of inflammatory bowel disease in specific geographic areas so it needs also the impact of various factors such as viruses or bacteria, smoking, taking antirheumatic drugs, the addition of preservatives in foods, a change in the dietary habits, and probably stress. The usual therapeutic practice is the use of immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory agents and finally the use of biological agents such as anti-TNF. Despite the systematic therapeutic approach and the use of new biological agents, the need for surgery has remained stable. As more effective treatments that target immediately the affected area are searched, human stem cells (hMSCs) are tested for the treatment of inflammatory diseases such as IBD, rheumatoid arthritis, type I diabetes and multiple sclerosis. Recent studies have shown that the mechanism of action of immunosuppressive properties of hMSCs is both direct by cell contact of hMSCs with the cells of the affected region, and indirect by the secretion of soluble molecules from hMSCs as TGF-b, prostaglandin E2, nitric oxide, etc. Furthermore, data suggest that the immunosuppressive effect of hMSC focuses in the area of inflammation and is regulated by cells and factors found in the microenvironment, supporting that the largest possible approach and injection of hMSCs near inflammation may increase the therapeutic effect.