Gut Inflammation in Response to Injury: Potential Target for Therapeutic Intervention

Traumatic injuries present a major public health concern worldwide. A role of gut and/or its derived factors has been suggested in the pathogenesis associated with injury. Injury causes the activation of various signaling pathways along with the release and activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and adhesion molecules in the intestine. This mediates infiltration of neutrophils into the intestine. Primed and subsequently activated neutrophils release various proteolytic enzymes and superoxide anion which ultimately result in intestinal inflammation and/or injury. This review will discuss the various factors contributing to intestinal inflammation following injury. Some of the patents relevant to intestinal inflammation have also been discussed in the present manuscript.