Affiliation:
1. Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neuroscience and Sensory Organs, University of Bari, School of Medicine, Bari, Italy
Abstract
Background: Secondary lymphoid organs (SLO) are distributed in many districts of the
body and, especially, lymph nodes, spleen and gut-associated lymphoid tissue are the main cellular
sites. On the other hand, tertiary lymphoid organs (TLO) are formed in response to inflammatory, infectious,
autoimmune and neoplastic events.
Developmental Studies: In the present review, emphasis will be placed on the developmental differences
of SLO and TLO between small intestine and colon and on the role played by various chemokines
and cell receptors. Undoubtedly, microbiota is indispensable for the formation of SLO and its absence
leads to their poor formation, thus indicating its strict interaction with immune and non immune
host cells. Furthermore, food antigens (for example, tryptophan derivatives, flavonoids and byphenils)
bind the aryl hydrocarbon receptor on innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), thus promoting the development
of postnatal lymphoid tissues. Also retinoic acid, a metabolite of vitamin A, contributes to SLO development
during embryogenesis. Vitamin A deficiency seems to account for reduction of ILCs and
scarce formation of solitary lymphoid tissue.
Translational Studies: The role of lymphoid organs with special reference to intestinal TLO in the
course of experimental and human disease will also be discussed.
Future Perspectives: Finally, a new methodology, the so-called “gut-in-a dish”, which has facilitated
the in vitro interaction study between microbe and intestinal immune cells, will be described.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Immunology and Allergy,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Cited by
5 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献