LOCAL AND SYSTEMIC EFFECTS OF MACROPHAGE CYTOKINES IN INTESTINAL INFLAMMATION

The activation of macrophages and newly recruited monocytes appears to be common to both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, despite dif ferent inductive stimuli. Similar activation occurs acutely during the course of invasive intestinal infections such as shigellosis, but is then usually downregulated. The macrophage cytokines tumor necrosis fa ctor-ct and interleukin-l IL-1, are centrally involved in the local in flammatory response, and blockade of either cytokine greatly attenuate s the inflammatory lesion. Induction of focal vascular thrombosis and matrix degradation are thought to be an important component of this fo cal damage. Both cytokines and IL-6 are now recognized to contribute t o the systemic effects of intestinal disease, including growth suppres sion, anorexia, and chronic anemia. Disturbance of sleep patterns, moo d, and affect may also occur, and recent evidence points towards bidir ectional interplay between macrophage cytokines and central nervous sy stem function. (C) Elsevier Science Inc. 1998.