Immune Homeostasis in Epithelial Cells: Evidence and Role of Inflammasome Signaling Reviewed.
The epithelium regulates the interaction between the noxious xenogenous, as well as the microbial environment and the immune system, not only by providing a barrier but also by expressing a number of immunoregulatory membrane receptors, and intracellular danger sensors and their downstream effectors. Amongst these are a number of inflammasome sensor subtypes, which have been initially characterized in myeloid cells and described to be activated upon assembly into multiprotein complexes by microbial and environmental triggers. This review compiles a vast amount of literature that supports a pivotal role for inflammasomes in the various epithelial barriers of the human body as essential factors maintaining immune signaling and homeostasis.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nutrim School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 HX Maastricht, Netherlands ; IUF-Leibniz Research Institute for Environmental Medicine, Auf'm Hennekamp 50, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany.
Paul M
PM
Peeters
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nutrim School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 HX Maastricht, Netherlands.
Emiel F
EF
Wouters
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nutrim School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre, 6229 HX Maastricht, Netherlands.
Niki L
NL
Reynaert
D000818:Animals; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004848:Epithelium / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions; D006801:Humans; D058847:Inflammasomes; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012867:Skin / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
D058847:Inflammasomes