Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) that affect the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary systems. They are characterized by persistent inflammation, potentially progressive fibrosis, and an elevated risk of developing cholangiocarcinoma and colorectal cancer. IBD and PSC share phenotypical, genetic, and immunological features, largely due to the central role of immune cell dysregulation. Despite their increasing global prevalence, the underlying drivers remain poorly understood, and effective treatment options are still lacking. Efforts towards an improved comprehension of their pathogenic mechanisms are therefore pivotal. Emerging evidence highlights the role of canonical ASC-dependent inflammasomes-multiprotein bioactive Interleukin (IL)-1-producing complexes of the innate immune system-and serum amyloid A (SAA) as key structures of gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary inflammation, tissue remodeling, stromal crosstalk, and fibrosis. In this review, we explore immunological connections and analogies between IBD and PSC, highlighting the converging roles of canonical ASC-dependent inflammasomes, the IL-1 superfamily, SAA, and sustained gut microbiota-driven chronic inflammation in disease pathology and their surging potential as therapeutic targets across the gut-liver axis.
Losa et al. (Wed,) studied this question.