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It takes nerve to dampen inflammation

Nature Immunology volume 6, pages 756–757 (2005)Cite this article

Stimulation of the vagus nerve via the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor can dampen macrophage function. This anti-inflammatory pathway seems to signal through the Jak2-STAT3 pathway.

Abdominal surgery activates tissue macrophages lining the gastrointestinal tract to produce inflammatory mediators. This local enteric inflammation and associated leukocyte infiltration decrease gut motility to produce a condition known as postoperative ileus. Although there have been substantial improvements in the understanding of postoperative ileus, few clinical advances for its treatment have been achieved. In this issue of Nature Immunology, de Jonge et al. used a rat model of postoperative ileus to show that stimulation of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway attenuates intestinal inflammation and improves gastric motility1. The molecular mechanism of this anti-inflammatory effect seems to involve the pathway of the tyrosine kinase Jak2 and the transcription factor STAT3, which is activated via the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7 nAChR) expressed on gastrointestinal macrophages.

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Figure 1: Cholinergic stimulation ameliorates enteric inflammation during postoperative ileus via α7 nAChR–Jak2 interactions.

Katie Ris

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. The Herman and Susan Merinoff Center for Patient Oriented Research at The Institute for Medical Research at North Shore-LIJ, Manhasset, 11021, New York, USA

    Christine N Metz & Kevin J Tracey

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  1. Christine N Metz
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  2. Kevin J Tracey
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Metz, C., Tracey, K. It takes nerve to dampen inflammation. Nat Immunol 6, 756–757 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/ni0805-756

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