Title:Therapeutic Implications of Immune Surveillance at the Intestinal Epithelial Barrier
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Author(s): Olivia S. Sakhon and David D. Lo
Affiliation:
Keywords:
Antigen presenting cell, enterocyte, immune surveillance, intestine, membranous/microfold (M) cell, Peyer's
patches, transcytosis.
Abstract: The intestine seems to have solved a rather complex problem in immune surveillance, being able to capture
luminal pathogens and trigger protective immunity yet tolerating the abundant array of ingested food antigens and
commensal bacteria. Moreover, uptake mechanisms, while providing a surveillance method, also risk revealing a
convenient gateway for the entry of live infectious pathogens. In this review, we look at the main elements of the immune
surveillance of the intestinal lumen, focusing on the variety of solutions to selectively detect pathogens while maintaining
an effectively sealed epithelial barrier. Among the innovative solutions described, we also address the relative impact of
each mechanism on the induction of mucosal immunity. While some mechanisms may be effective in uptake, M cells
present the most sophisticated array of mechanisms for selective and efficient capture of microbial particles. Though the
contents of the gut are freely moving in the lumen, once M cells uptake matter, well-coordinated distribution of contained
antigen and particles to distinct antigen presenting cells commences. M cells are a valuable tool for the maintenance and
protection of the intestine and need to be further studied so their transcytotic potential can be employed for the
advancement of vaccine therapeutics.
