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Gut mechanoimmunology: Shaping immune response through physical cues
Ziwei Wang1, Ning Xie1, Xiru Liang2
1Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Gastrointestinal Motility Disorders, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China; Bioinspired Engineering and Biomechanics Center (BEBC), Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
None:
The gut immune system embodies a complex interplay between the gut mucosal barrier, the host's immune cells, and gut microbiota. These components exist within a dynamic environment characterized by a variety of physical cues, e.g., compression, tension, shear stress, stiffness, and viscoelasticity. The physical cues can be modified under specific pathological conditions. Given their dynamic nature, comprehending the specific effects of these physical cues on the gut immune system is critical for pathological and therapeutic studies of intestinal immune-related diseases. This review aims to discuss how physical cues influence gut immunology by affecting the gut mucosal barrier, host immune cells, and gut microbiota, defining this concept as gut mechanoimmunology. This review seeks to highlight that an enhanced understanding of gut mechanoimmunology carries therapeutic implications, not only for intestinal diseases but also for extraintestinal diseases.
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