Crohn's disease (CD) is often accompanied by the complications of intestinal strictures and fistulas. These complications remain obstacles in CD treatment. In recent years, the importance of epithelial-mesenchymal transition in the pathogenesis of CD-associated fistulas and intestinal fibrosis has become apparent. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition refers to a dynamic change, wherein epithelial cells lose their polarity and adherence and acquire migratory function and fibroblast features. During formation of CD-associated fistulas, intestinal epithelial cells dislocate from the basement membrane and migrate to the lining of the fistula tracts, where they convert into transitional cells as a compensatory response under the insufficient wound healing condition. In CD-associated intestinal fibrosis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition may serve as a source of new fibroblasts and consequently lead to overproduction of extracellular matrix. In this review, we present current knowledge of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and its role in the pathogenesis of CD in order to highlight new therapy targets for the associated complications.

中文翻译：

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克罗恩病的上皮-间质转化。

克罗恩病 (CD) 常伴有肠狭窄和瘘管并发症。这些并发症仍然是 CD 治疗的障碍。近年来，上皮-间质转化在 CD 相关瘘管和肠纤维化发病机制中的重要性已变得明显。上皮-间充质转化是指一种动态变化，其中上皮细胞失去极性和粘附性并获得迁移功能和成纤维细胞特征。在 CD 相关瘘管的形成过程中，肠上皮细胞从基底膜脱位并迁移到瘘管内壁，在伤口愈合不充分的情况下，它们转化为移行细胞作为代偿反应。在 CD 相关的肠纤维化中，上皮-间充质转化可能作为新成纤维细胞的来源，并因此导致细胞外基质的过量产生。在这篇综述中，我们介绍了目前关于上皮-间质转化的知识及其在 CD 发病机制中的作用，以突出相关并发症的新治疗靶点。