Published online Jan 7, 2018. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v24.i1.15
Peer-review started: November 3, 2017
First decision: November 14, 2017
Revised: November 23, 2017
Accepted: November 27, 2017
Article in press: November 27, 2017
Published online: January 7, 2018
Core tip: It is now clear that Crohn's disease (CD) is an autoimmune disease that involves at least the intestinal mucosal immune system, when the mucosal immune system is invaded by food or bacterial antigens. However, it is worth mentioning that the mechanism remains unclear. Whether activation of the immune system is the internal defects (constitutive activation or regulation mechanism disorder) or changes in the epithelial mucosal barrier leading to continuous stimulation is still not clear. The mechanism of CD is intensively studied by domestic and foreign scholars on the immune destruction. Here we summarize the latest research status on immune factors in the pathogenesis of CD with regard to the mechanisms about T-lymphocyte immunity, innate lymphocyte immunity, cytokines and immune therapy.