Diet in Intestinal Fibrosis: A Double-Edged Sword

The natural history of inflammatory bowel diseases, especially Crohn's disease, is frequently complicated by intestinal fibrosis. Because of the lack of effective treatments for intestinal fibrosis, there is an urgent need to develop new therapies. Factors promoting intestinal fibrosis are currently unclear, but diet is a potential culprit. Diet may influence predisposition to develop intestinal fibrosis or alter its natural history by modification of both the host immune response and intestinal microbial composition. Few studies have documented the effects of dietary factors in modulating IBD-induced intestinal fibrosis. As the mechanisms behind fibrogenesis in the gut are believed to be broadly similar to those from extra-intestinal organs, it may be relevant to investigate which dietary components can inhibit or promote fibrosis factors such as myofibroblasts progenitor activation in other fibrotic diseases.

Automated summary

Intestinal fibrosis is a major complication of inflammatory bowel diseases, especially Crohn's disease, for which effective treatments are lacking. Diet may play a role in influencing the predisposition to develop intestinal fibrosis or alter its natural history by modifying the host immune response and intestinal microbial composition. Further studies are needed to investigate the effects of dietary factors on IBD-induced intestinal fibrosis and potential therapies to inhibit or promote fibrosis factors in the gut.