title: Exosome in intestinal mucosal immunity.
abstract: Intercellular communication of immune cells is critical to elicit efficient inflammatory responses. In intestinal mucosa, imbalance in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, especially cytokines and chemokines, characterizes the underlying immune mechanisms of inflammatory bowel disease. Exosomes, small membrane vesicles secreted into the extracellular environment, are emerging as another important intercellular messenger in immune responses. A major recent breakthrough in this field unveils the capacity of exosomes to mediate the functional transfer of genetic materials (mRNAs and miRNAs) between immune cells. RAB27A and RAB27B are two small GTPases involved in exosome secretion. With respect to intestinal mucosal immunity, increased number of RAB27A-positive immune cells and RAB27B-positive immune cells are demonstrated in the colonic mucosa of patients with active ulcerative colitis as compared with that of healthy controls. This indicates the important role of exosome-mediated immune responses in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease. Here, we will discuss the immune properties of exosomes and recent advances in their function with a special focus on intestinal mucosal immunity.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai IBD Research Center, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: An Tao
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai IBD Research Center, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jun Tao
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai IBD Research Center, Shanghai, China. zhihuaran@vip.163.com.
authors.forename: Zhi Hua
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Ran
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Shanghai IBD Research Center, Shanghai, China. qingzheng101@163.com.
authors.forename: Qing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D003106:Colon / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D055354:Exosomes / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000276:immunology*; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D000075745:rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins
chemical_list: D000075745:rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins; C066694:RAB27A protein, human; C512960:Rab27B protein, human; D020691:rab GTP-Binding Proteins
keywords: Exosome; Rab27A; Rab27B; inflammatory bowel disease