The peritoneum: healing, immunity, and diseases

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Pathology

Background:

• The peritoneum is a microenvironment susceptible to damage from infections, surgery, and neoplastic/non-neoplastic diseases.
• Impaired clearance of inflammatory triggers can lead to fibrosis, organ failure, and diseases like autoimmune serositis, peritoneal carcinomatosis, and endometriosis.
• Altered immune responses in the peritoneum contribute to various human diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current knowledge on immune response alterations in the peritoneal environment.
• To highlight the role of persistently activated reparative macrophages in peritoneal diseases.
• To identify potential molecular targets for intervention.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on peritoneal immune responses.
• Analysis of molecular signals involved in inflammatory cell recruitment.
• Examination of the role of alternatively activated peritoneal macrophages in angiogenesis and fibrosis.

Main Results:

• The peritoneum's response to damage involves recruitment, proliferation, and activation of various cells.
• Persistent inflammation, if not cleared, results in fibrosis and impaired tissue function.
• Alternatively activated peritoneal macrophages are implicated in guiding angiogenesis and fibrosis.

Conclusions:

• Persistently activated reparative macrophages play an ambiguous role in the pathogenesis of common human diseases.
• Understanding peritoneal immune alterations offers potential for novel therapeutic strategies.
• Targeting alternative macrophage activation may be a promising approach for treating peritoneal diseases.