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Updated: Mar 17, 2026
Perturbations of Circulating miRNAs in Irritable Bowel Syndrome Detected Using a Multiplexed High-throughput Gene Expression Platform
Published on: November 30, 2016
Immune response in irritable bowel syndrome: A systematic review of systemic and mucosal inflammatory mediators
Juan J Martin-Viñas1, Eamonn M M Quigley1
1Lynda K and David M Underwood Center for Digestive Disorders, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Houston Methodist Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College, Houston, Texas, USA.
Objective:
To systematically review the available data on cytokine and immune cells in the peripheral blood and mucosal biopsy samples from patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Methods:
From a review of the literature, data on cytokines and immune cells that had been assayed in at least three independent studies were collated and trends examined.
Results:
Levels of interleukin (IL)-10 tended to be decreased and those of IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α and IL-1β increased in the systemic circulation in IBS, while in the mucosa, IL-10 was decreased and IL-8, mast cells, enterochromaffin cells and CD3+ T lymphocytes were increased. However, these findings were not consistent across all studies and, in some instances, were limited to certain IBS sub-populations.
Conclusions:
The interpretation of this literature is limited by several factors, such as the intrinsic heterogeneity of IBS and a lack of standardization in study design. While a number of intriguing immunological observations have been made in IBS, more work is needed before a compelling case can be made for a role for immune-mediated events in the etiology of IBS.
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