Journal of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (Medical Science) ›› 2026, Vol. 46 ›› Issue (6): 801-809.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2026.06.013

• Review • Previous Articles    

Review of mechanism of interleukin regulatory network in inflammatory bowel disease

Li Mengru1, Wang Haiqiang2()   

  1. 1.First Clinical Medical College, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
    2.Department of Gastroenterology II, First Affiliated Hospital, Heilongjiang University of Chinese Medicine, Harbin 150040, China
  • Received:2025-07-16 Accepted:2026-04-21 Online:2026-06-28 Published:2026-06-29
  • Contact: Wang Haiqiang E-mail:haiqiang915@163.com
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China Cultivation and Support Programme(PYMS202501016);Fifth Batch of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine's Training Programme for Outstanding Clinical TCM Talents (Guo Zhong Yi Yao Ren Jiao Han [2022] No. 1)

Abstract:

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), is a heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by chronic and recurrent gastrointestinal inflammation. The pathophysiological mechanisms of IBD are complex, involving numerous factors, including genetics, environmental exposure, dysbiosis of the gut microbiota, and abnormal immune responses, with the disruption of immune homeostasis being a central pathological component. Studies have shown that abnormal regulation of cytokine networks plays a key role in the onset and progression of IBD. Among these, interleukins (ILs), as a class of important signaling molecules, have attracted widespread attention in the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of IBD, and targeted therapies against ILs have demonstrated significant efficacy. This article systematically elucidates the association between ILs and IBD, provides an in-depth analysis of the mechanisms by which ILs function in the pathogenesis of IBD, and discusses the imbalance between pro-inflammatory ILs (such as IL-6, IL-17, and IL-23) and the anti-inflammatory IL-10, as well as the regulation of their corresponding signaling pathways. It also summarizes IL-targeted therapeutic strategies, including the clinical validation of biologics and novel therapies, with the aim of providing new tactics for the clinical management of IBD.

Key words: interleukin, inflammatory bowel disease, immune regulation, targeted therapy

CLC Number: