Physiological changes in the gastrointestinal tract and host protective immunity: learning from the mouse-Trichinella spiralis model

Infection and inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract induces a number of changes in the GI physiology of the host. Experimental infections with parasites represent valuable models to study the structural and physiological changes in the GI tract. This review addresses research on the interf...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Parasitology 2008-05, Vol.135 (6), p.671-682
Main Author: Khan, W. I.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Biological and medical sciences
Celiac disease
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gastrointestinal tract
Gastrointestinal Tract - cytology
Gastrointestinal Tract - immunology
Gastrointestinal Tract - physiology
General aspects
General aspects and techniques. Study of several systematic groups. Models
Immune response
Immune system
immunity
immunophysiology
infection
Inflammatory bowel disease
Invertebrates
Irritable bowel syndrome
Medical research
Mice
mucin
Mucous membrane
muscle
Parasites
Physiology
Trichinella spiralis
Trichinella spiralis - physiology
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Summary:Infection and inflammation in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract induces a number of changes in the GI physiology of the host. Experimental infections with parasites represent valuable models to study the structural and physiological changes in the GI tract. This review addresses research on the interface between the immune system and GI physiology, dealing specifically with 2 major components of intestinal physiology, namely mucin production and muscle function in relation to host defence, primarily based on studies using the mouse-Trichinella spiralis system. These studies demonstrate that the infection-induced T helper 2 type immune response is critical in generating the alterations of infection-induced mucin production and muscle function, and that this immune-mediated alteration in gut physiology is associated with host defence mechanisms. In addition, by manipulating the host immune response, it is possible to modulate the accompanying physiological changes, which may have clinical relevance. In addition to enhancing our understanding of immunological control of GI physiological changes in the context of host defence against enteric infections, the data acquired using the mouse-T. spiralis model provide a basis for understanding the pathophysiology of a wide range of GI disorders associated with altered gut physiology.
ISSN:0031-1820
1469-8161
DOI:10.1017/S0031182008004381