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Immune activation in irritable bowel syndrome: what is the evidence?

Nature Reviews Immunology volume 22, pages 674–686 (2022)Cite this article

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A Publisher Correction to this article was published on 23 March 2022

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Abstract

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic functional gastrointestinal disorder that is characterized by abdominal pain and an altered defecation pattern. It affects between 5 and 20% of the general population and can seriously impact quality of life. The pathophysiology of IBS is rather complex and multifactorial including, for example, altered signalling by the gut–brain axis, dysbiosis, abnormal visceral pain signalling and intestinal immune activation. The latter has gained particular interest in recent years, with growing insight into the bidirectional communication between the nervous system and the immune system. In this Review, we detail the current evidence suggesting that immune activation contributes to the pathology seen in patients with IBS and discuss the potential mechanisms involved. Moreover, we describe how immune mediators, particularly those released by mast cells, can directly activate or sensitize pain-transmitting nerves, leading to increased pain signalling and abdominal pain. Finally, we discuss the potential of interventions targeting immune activation as a new therapeutic strategy for patients suffering from IBS.

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Fig. 1: Intestinal afferent innervation.
Fig. 2: Potential mechanisms leading to immune activation in IBS.
Fig. 3: Therapeutic approaches targeting the immune system in IBS.

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Acknowledgements

J.A.-L. is supported by a FWO postdoctoral fellowship (12X9820N). G.E.B. is funded by the European Research Council (ERC) Advanced Grant (833816-NEUMACS) and the KU Leuven internal funding grant C1 (C14/18/086).

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  1. Laboratory for Intestinal Neuroimmune Interactions, Translational Research Centre for Gastrointestinal Disorders, Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Javier Aguilera-Lizarraga, Hind Hussein & Guy E. Boeckxstaens

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Aguilera-Lizarraga, J., Hussein, H. & Boeckxstaens, G.E. Immune activation in irritable bowel syndrome: what is the evidence?. Nat Rev Immunol 22, 674–686 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41577-022-00700-9

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