Intestinal Homeostasis under Stress Siege

• Published in: International journal of molecular sciences 2021-05, Vol.22 (10), p.5095
• Main Authors: Guzmán-Mejía, Fabiola, Godínez-Victoria, Marycarmen, Vega-Bautista, Alan, Pacheco-Yépez, Judith, Drago-Serrano, Maria Elisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adrenal glands; Animal models; Cell surface; Colon; Cushions; Digestive system; Enteric nervous system; Epithelial cells; Epithelium; gut barrier; Homeostasis; Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; Hypothalamus; Hypoxia; Immunocompetence; Immunoglobulin A; Immunoglobulins; Immunology; Inflammation; intestinal IgA; intestinal mucus; Intestine; Irritable bowel syndrome; Large intestine; Metabolism; Microbiota; Mucus; Nervous system; Nitric oxide; Parasympathetic nervous system; Permeability; Pituitary; Proteins; Review; Small intestine; stress hormones; T cell receptors
• ISSN: 1422-0067; 1661-6596; 1422-0067
• DOI: 10.3390/ijms22105095

Intestinal homeostasis encompasses a complex and balanced interplay among a wide array of components that collaborate to maintain gut barrier integrity. The appropriate function of the gut barrier requires the mucus layer, a sticky cushion of mucopolysaccharides that overlays the epithelial cell surface. Mucus plays a critical anti-inflammatory role by preventing direct contact between luminal microbiota and the surface of the epithelial cell monolayer. Moreover, mucus is enriched with pivotal effectors of intestinal immunity, such as immunoglobulin A (IgA). A fragile and delicate equilibrium that supports proper barrier function can be disturbed by stress. The impact of stress upon intestinal homeostasis results from neuroendocrine mediators of the brain-gut axis (BGA), which comprises a nervous branch that includes the enteric nervous system (ENS) and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, as well as an endocrine branch of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. This review is the first to discuss the experimental animal models that address the impact of stress on components of intestinal homeostasis, with special emphasis on intestinal mucus and IgA. Basic knowledge from animal models provides the foundations of pharmacologic and immunological interventions to control disturbances associated with conditions that are exacerbated by emotional stress, such as irritable bowel syndrome.