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Neuronal regulation of intestinal immune functions in health and disease
Author(s) -
Fornai M.,
Wijngaard R. M.,
Antonioli L.,
Pellegrini C.,
Blandizzi C.,
Jonge W. J.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
neurogastroenterology and motility
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.489
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1365-2982
pISSN - 1350-1925
DOI - 10.1111/nmo.13406
Subject(s) - enteric nervous system , disease , immune system , neuroscience , inflammatory bowel disease , biology , intestinal mucosa , barrier function , autonomic nervous system , immunology , medicine , pathology , microbiology and biotechnology , endocrinology , heart rate , blood pressure
Background Nerve‐mucosa interactions control various elements of gastrointestinal functions, including mucosal host defense, gut barrier function, and epithelial cell growth and differentiation. In both intestinal and extra‐intestinal diseases, alterations of autonomic nerve activity have been observed to be concurrent with the disease course, such as in inflammatory and functional bowel diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. This is relevant as the extrinsic autonomic nervous system is increasingly recognized to modulate gut inflammatory responses. The molecular and cellular mechanisms through which the extrinsic and intrinsic nerve pathways may regulate digestive mucosal functions have been investigated in several pre‐clinical and clinical studies. Purpose The present review focuses on the involvement of neural pathways in gastrointestinal disease, and addresses the current strategies to intervene with neuronal pathway as a means of treatment.