Neuro-immune crosstalk and food allergy: Focus on enteric neurons and mucosal mast cells

Makoto Kadowaki*, Takeshi Yamamoto, Shusaku Hayashi

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

9 Scopus citations

Abstract

The nervous system and the immune system individually play important roles in regulating the processes necessary to maintain physiological homeostasis, respond to acute stress and protect against external threats. These two regulating systems for maintaining the living body had often been assumed to function independently. Allergies develop as a result of an overreaction of the immune system to substances that are relatively harmless to the body, such as food, pollen and dust mites. Therefore, it has been generally supposed that the development and pathogenesis of allergies can be explained through an immunological interpretation. Recently, however, neuro-immune crosstalk has attracted increasing attention. Consequently, it is becoming clear that there is close morphological proximity and physiological and pathophysiological interactions between neurons and immune cells in various peripheral tissues. Thus, researchers are now beginning to appreciate that neuro-immune interactions may play a role in tissue homeostasis and the pathophysiology of immune-mediated disease, but very little information is available on the molecular basis of these interactions. Mast cells are a part of the innate immune system implicated in allergic reactions and the regulation of host–pathogen interactions. Mast cells are ubiquitous in the body, and these cells are often found in close proximity to nerve fibers in various tissues, including the lamina propria of the intestine. Mast cells and neurons are thought to communicate bidirectionally to modulate neurophysiological effects and mast cell functions, which suggests that neuro-immune interactions may be involved in the pathology of allergic diseases.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)278-287
Number of pages10
JournalAllergology International
Volume71
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - 2022/07

Keywords

  • Enteric nervous system
  • Food allergy
  • Mucosal mast cell
  • Neuro-immune crosstalk
  • Sensory neuron

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy

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