TGF-β1 and IGF-1 and Anastomotic Recurrence of Crohn’s Disease After Ileo-Colonic Resection

Background After bowel resection, Crohn’s disease (CD) recurs frequently in the site of the anastomosis. Alteration of normal healing processes may play a role in this phenomenon. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) are involved in wound healing mechanisms with pro-fibrogenic properties. The aim of this study was to assess the expression of TGF-β1 and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in the different zones of the bowel wall to understand why side-to-side anastomosis are associated to a lower recurrence rate compared to end-to-end ones.