The immuno-inflammatory mechanism for tissue injury in inflammatory bowel disease and Helicobacter pylori-infected chronic active gastritis - Roles of the mucosal immune system
H. Nagura et al., The immuno-inflammatory mechanism for tissue injury in inflammatory bowel disease and Helicobacter pylori-infected chronic active gastritis - Roles of the mucosal immune system, DIGESTION, 63, 2001, pp. 12-21
The gastrointestinal mucosa is exposed to myriads of infectious and food an
tigens, and a unique barrier mechanism handles them on the mucosal surface,
and specific immune responses to these antigens call on the mucosal immune
system in the mucosal tissues to maintain homeostasis of gastrointestinal
functions and structure. Abrogation of these mucosal defense mechanisms may
lead to alter immunologic homeostasis in the gastrointestinal tract and to
induce pathological features of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and Helic
obacter pylori-infected chronic active gastritis, including chronic active
inflammation, mucosal atrophy and tissue injuries. Regardless of the initia
ting cause of these long-standing chronic active mucosal inflammations, cha
racteristic immuno-inflammatory mechanisms are involved in their pathogenes
is, that is, similar and/or different specific prolonged impaired and exces
sive immuno-inflammatory responses following the abrogation of the mucosal
barrier system are present in the diseased mucosa with IBD and H. pylori in
fection, respectively. Copyright (C) 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel.