Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
9.9
5.1
Journals
Cells
Special Issues
Mucosal Immunity and Epithelial Barrier Biology: From Tissue Homeostasis to...
share announcement

Mucosal Immunity and Epithelial Barrier Biology: From Tissue Homeostasis to Chronic Disease

A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2024) | Viewed by 6863

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Charles Pilette

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cliniques Universitaires St-Luc, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research, Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL), 10 Avenue Hippocrate, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
Interests: mucosal immunology; respiratory medicine; allergy and pulmonary diseases; IgA; lung epithelium biology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Marie Baeck

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Dermatology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
Interests: dermatology; allergology; immunology
Prof. Dr. Peter Stärkel

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Department of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
2. Laboratory of Hepato-Gastroenterology, Institute of Experimental and Clinical Research, UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium
Interests: gut immunity; intestinal epithelial barrier; intestinal immunity; hepatology; gastroenterology; alcoholology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The airways, from the nose to the deep pulmonary alveoli, the gut, and the skin are directly exposed to external matters, leading to a challenge for those epithelial barriers and the immune system to prevent unnecessary responses and to adapt their response to noxious or harmless exposures. Homeostasis at mucosal and skin barriers involves a complex interplay between structural and immune cells, an emerging concept being the “memory” of previous responses that is developed not only in immune cells but also in epithelial stem cells. Several diseases, such as chronic rhinosinusitis, asthma, colitis and allergic dermatitis are typically linked with aberrant cell responses to external matters. They share longstanding histories of repeated exposure-repair cycles over years that may cause alterations in organ development, epithelial-mesenchymal unit biology as well as chronic immune activation. Altered mucosal immunity (notably its major mediator, namely IgA) integrates the pathophysiology of such chronic diseases and could reflect an abnormal interplay with the gut/lung microbiome in chronic disease. Early dysregulation of mucosal barriers may also imprint barrier tissues during childhood to promote future disease development. The studies of mucosal and skin (dys)immunity that consider both cross-organ similarities and specificities, should provide in the future valuable targets for preventive or therapeutic interventions in order to tackle pathogenic mechanisms before irreversible changes feed the roots of chronic disease.

Prof. Dr. Charles Pilette
Prof. Dr. Marie Baeck
Prof. Dr. Peter Stärkel
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Cells is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • epithelial barrier
  • mucosal immunity
  • immune system
  • skin barrier
  • skin immunity
  • IgA
  • chronic disease
  • airways
  • respiratory
  • lung
  • gut
  • skin
  • therapeutic interventions

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

18 pages, 19371 KiB  
Article
The Barrier Disruption and Pyroptosis of Intestinal Epithelial Cells Caused by Perfringolysin O (PFO) from Clostridium perfringens
by Zhankui Liu, Shuang Mou, Liang Li, Qichao Chen, Ruicheng Yang, Shibang Guo, Yancheng Jin, Lixinjie Liu, Tianzhi Li, Huanchun Chen and Xiangru Wang
Cells 2024, 13(13), 1140; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13131140 - 3 Jul 2024
Viewed by 1609
Abstract
Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens), a Gram-positive bacterium, produces a variety of toxins and extracellular enzymes that can lead to disease in both humans and animals. Common symptoms include abdominal swelling, diarrhea, and intestinal inflammation. Severe cases can result in complications like [...] Read more.
Clostridium perfringens (C. perfringens), a Gram-positive bacterium, produces a variety of toxins and extracellular enzymes that can lead to disease in both humans and animals. Common symptoms include abdominal swelling, diarrhea, and intestinal inflammation. Severe cases can result in complications like intestinal hemorrhage, edema, and even death. The primary toxins contributing to morbidity in C. perfringens-infected intestines are CPA, CPB, CPB2, CPE, and PFO. Amongst these, CPB, CPB2, and CPE are implicated in apoptosis development, while CPA is associated with cell death, increased intracellular ROS levels, and the release of the inflammatory factor IL-18. However, the exact mechanism by which PFO toxins exert their effects in the infected gut is still unidentified. This study demonstrates that a C. perfringens PFO toxin infection disrupts the intestinal epithelial barrier function through in vitro and in vivo models. This study emphasizes the notable influence of PFO toxins on intestinal barrier integrity in the context of C. perfringens infections. It reveals that PFO toxins increase ROS production by causing mitochondrial damage, triggering pyroptosis in IPEC-J2 cells, and consequently resulting in compromised intestinal barrier function. These results offer a scientific foundation for developing preventive and therapeutic approaches against C. perfringens infections. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mucosal Immunity and Epithelial Barrier Biology: From Tissue Homeostasis to Chronic Disease)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

22 pages, 3013 KiB  
Article
JAK/STAT Inhibition Normalizes Lipid Composition in 3D Human Epidermal Equivalents Challenged with Th2 Cytokines
by Enrica Flori, Alessia Cavallo, Sarah Mosca, Daniela Kovacs, Carlo Cota, Marco Zaccarini, Anna Di Nardo, Grazia Bottillo, Miriam Maiellaro, Emanuela Camera and Giorgia Cardinali
Cells 2024, 13(9), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13090760 - 29 Apr 2024
Viewed by 2180
Abstract
Derangement of the epidermal barrier lipids and dysregulated immune responses are key pathogenic features of atopic dermatitis (AD). The Th2-type cytokines interleukin IL-4 and IL-13 play a prominent role in AD by activating the Janus Kinase/Signal Transduction and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) intracellular [...] Read more.
Derangement of the epidermal barrier lipids and dysregulated immune responses are key pathogenic features of atopic dermatitis (AD). The Th2-type cytokines interleukin IL-4 and IL-13 play a prominent role in AD by activating the Janus Kinase/Signal Transduction and Activator of Transcription (JAK/STAT) intracellular signaling axis. This study aimed to investigate the role of JAK/STAT in the lipid perturbations induced by Th2 signaling in 3D epidermal equivalents. Tofacitinib, a low-molecular-mass JAK inhibitor, was used to screen for JAK/STAT-mediated deregulation of lipid metabolism. Th2 cytokines decreased the expression of elongases 1, 3, and 4 and serine-palmitoyl-transferase and increased that of sphingolipid delta(4)-desaturase and carbonic anhydrase 2. Th2 cytokines inhibited the synthesis of palmitoleic acid and caused depletion of triglycerides, in association with altered phosphatidylcholine profiles and fatty acid (FA) metabolism. Overall, the ceramide profiles were minimally affected. Except for most sphingolipids and very-long-chain FAs, the effects of Th2 on lipid pathways were reversed by co-treatment with tofacitinib. An increase in the mRNA levels of CPT1A and ACAT1, reduced by tofacitinib, suggests that Th2 cytokines promote FA beta-oxidation. In conclusion, pharmacological inhibition of JAK/STAT activation prevents the lipid disruption caused by the halted homeostasis of FA metabolism. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mucosal Immunity and Epithelial Barrier Biology: From Tissue Homeostasis to Chronic Disease)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

23 pages, 1155 KiB  
Review
Origin, Function, and Implications of Intestinal and Hepatic Macrophages in the Pathogenesis of Alcohol-Associated Liver Disease
by Yifan Hu, Bernd Schnabl and Peter Stärkel
Cells 2025, 14(3), 207; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells14030207 - 30 Jan 2025
Viewed by 338
Abstract
Macrophages are members of the human innate immune system, and the majority reside in the liver. In recent years, they have been recognized as essential players in the maintenance of liver and intestinal homeostasis as well as key guardians of their respective immune [...] Read more.
Macrophages are members of the human innate immune system, and the majority reside in the liver. In recent years, they have been recognized as essential players in the maintenance of liver and intestinal homeostasis as well as key guardians of their respective immune systems, and they are increasingly being recognized as such. Paradoxically, they are also likely involved in chronic pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract and potentially in the alteration of the gut–liver axis in alcohol use disorder (AUD) and alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD). To date, the causal relationship between macrophages, the pathogenesis of ALD, and the immune dysregulation of the gut remains unclear. In this review, we will discuss our current understanding of the heterogeneity of intestinal and hepatic macrophages, their ontogeny, the potential factors that regulate their origin, and the evidence of how they are associated with the manifestation of chronic inflammation. We will also illustrate how the micro-environment of the intestine shapes the phenotypes and functionality of the macrophage compartment in both the intestines and liver and how they change during chronic alcohol abuse. Finally, we highlight the obstacles to current research and the prospects for this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mucosal Immunity and Epithelial Barrier Biology: From Tissue Homeostasis to Chronic Disease)
20 pages, 2539 KiB  
Review
Mucosal Inflammatory Memory in Chronic Rhinosinusitis
by Min-Seok Koo, Sungmin Moon and Min-Seok Rha
Cells 2024, 13(23), 1947; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13231947 - 23 Nov 2024
Viewed by 699
Abstract
Recent advancements in medical management, endoscopic sinus surgery, and biologics have significantly improved outcomes for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, long-term recurrence is frequently observed following endoscopic sinus surgery, with symptoms worsening after biologics are discontinued. Consequently, refractory or recurrent CRS remains [...] Read more.
Recent advancements in medical management, endoscopic sinus surgery, and biologics have significantly improved outcomes for patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). However, long-term recurrence is frequently observed following endoscopic sinus surgery, with symptoms worsening after biologics are discontinued. Consequently, refractory or recurrent CRS remains a significant challenge, causing a substantial healthcare burden. In this review, we provide current insights into mucosal inflammatory memory, a potential mechanism leading to CRS recurrence. Given that both immune and non-immune cells in the sinonasal mucosa play critical roles in the pathophysiology of CRS, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying mucosal inflammatory memory in various cellular components of sinonasal tissue could aid in the management of refractory CRS. We describe and discuss the latest knowledge regarding the novel concept of inflammatory memory, including both adaptive immune memory and trained immunity. Additionally, we summarize the pathogenic memory features of the sinonasal mucosa cellular components in the context of CRS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mucosal Immunity and Epithelial Barrier Biology: From Tissue Homeostasis to Chronic Disease)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

11 pages, 2302 KiB  
Brief Report
Nanoparticle Uptake in the Aging and Oncogenic Drosophila Midgut Measured with Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
by Maria Christou, Ayobami Fidelix, Yiorgos Apidianakis and Chrysafis Andreou
Cells 2024, 13(16), 1344; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells13161344 - 13 Aug 2024
Viewed by 1409
Abstract
Colorectal cancer remains a major global health concern. Colonoscopy, the gold-standard colorectal cancer diagnostic, relies on the visual detection of lesions and necessitates invasive biopsies for confirmation. Alternative diagnostic methods, based on nanomedicine, can facilitate early detection of malignancies. Here, we examine the [...] Read more.
Colorectal cancer remains a major global health concern. Colonoscopy, the gold-standard colorectal cancer diagnostic, relies on the visual detection of lesions and necessitates invasive biopsies for confirmation. Alternative diagnostic methods, based on nanomedicine, can facilitate early detection of malignancies. Here, we examine the uptake of surface-enhanced Raman scattering nanoparticles (SERS NPs) as a marker for intestinal tumor detection and imaging using an established Drosophila melanogaster model for gut disease. Young and old Oregon-R and w1118 flies were orally administered SERS NPs and scanned without and upon gut lumen clearance to assess nanoparticle retention as a function of aging. Neither young nor old flies showed significant NP retention in their body after gut lumen clearance. Moreover, tumorigenic flies of the esg-Gal4/UAS-RasV12 genotype were tested for SERS NP retention 2, 4 and 6 days after RasV12 oncogene induction in their midgut progenitor cells. Tumorigenic flies showed a statistically significant NP retention signal at 2 days, well before midgut epithelium impairment. The signal was then visualized in scans of dissected guts revealing areas of NP uptake in the posterior midgut region of high stem cell activity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mucosal Immunity and Epithelial Barrier Biology: From Tissue Homeostasis to Chronic Disease)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop