Nuclear factor-κB - importance, induction of inflammation, and effects of pharmacological modulators in Crohn's disease.

Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown etiology that covers the entire digestive tract and occurs with periods of remission and clinical exacerbation. CD is most common in North America and Europe, but its incidence is rising rapidly in Asian countries. The pathogenesis of CD is unclear, while genetic predisposition, immune imbalance, and host-intestinal microbiota interactions are taken into account. Incorrect activation of κB nuclear factor (NF-κB) signaling pathways is associated with CD initiation and progression. NF-κB leads to excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines that cause a chronic inflammatory process of the intestines. It is currently believed that the NF-κB pathway plays a key role in the pathogenesis of CD, hence current treatments aim to block this pathway. Studies have shown that activation of NF-κB is reduced by treatment with, among others, mesalazine and glucocorticoids. This review presents epidemiology and pathogenesis of CD, the participation of NF-κB in this disease, as well as modern methods of treatment aimed at inhibiting NF-κB activation.