Researchers from Icahn School of Medicine found that dendritic cells of the gut could actually capture mucus along with bacteria and food antigens. Furthermore the mucus actually "constrains the immunogenicity of gut antigens by delivering tolerogenic signals". Instead of just a protective barrier and lubricant of the digestive tract mucus is involved in the immune homeostasis of the intestinal tract. They said that the mucus barrier is organized around hyperglycosylated mucin (MUC2). MUC2 is supposedly taken up by gut antigen-sampling dendritic cells. These glycans which were associated with MUC2 caused an anti-inflammatory response within the dendritic cells which sampled them. This anti-inflammatory action was proposed to be from assembling galection-3-Dectin-1-FcyRIIB receptor complex which acivated beta-catenin. This transcription factor inhibits transcription through nuclear factor kappaB which results in inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines but not tolerogenic cytokines. I find it fascinating that the article we discussed in class on the benefits of curcumin were largely due to its roll in inhibiting nuclear factor kappaB. It seems that curcumin uses the same pathway to modulate inflammation as our own mucus.
The researchers proposed that it would be beneficial to find a way to manufacture mucus for supplementation for patients with gastrointestinal tract disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn's. These findings could also shed light on new treatments for cancer because this is a mechanism used by malignant cells to evade the immune system. Apparently some cancer cells produce mucus with MUC2 which the researchers imagine might down regulate the immune response allowing the malignant cells to survive.
References:
http://www.sciencemag.org/content/342/6157/447
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19723087
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