title: Epithelial Anion Transport as Modulator of Chemokine Signaling.
abstract: The pivotal role of epithelial cells is to secrete and absorb ions and water in order to allow the formation of a luminal fluid compartment that is fundamental for the epithelial function as a barrier against environmental factors. Importantly, epithelial cells also take part in the innate immune system. As a first line of defense they detect pathogens and react by secreting and responding to chemokines and cytokines, thus aggravating immune responses or resolving inflammatory states. Loss of epithelial anion transport is well documented in a variety of diseases including cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, pancreatitis, and cholestatic liver disease. Here we review the effect of aberrant anion secretion with focus on the release of inflammatory mediators by epithelial cells and discuss putative mechanisms linking these transport defects to the augmented epithelial release of chemokines and cytokines. These mechanisms may contribute to the excessive and persistent inflammation in many respiratory and gastrointestinal diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada H3G 1Y6.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schnúr
authors.affiliation: Institute for Translational Medicine and 1st Department of Medicine, University of Pécs, Pécs 7624, Hungary; MTA-SZTE Translational Gastroenterology Research Group, Szeged 6720, Hungary.
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hegyi
authors.affiliation: The Meakins-Christie Laboratories, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, Montréal, QC, Canada H2X 2P2.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rousseau
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada H3G 1Y6; Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada H3G 1Y6; Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines (GRASP), McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada H3G 1Y6.
authors.forename: Gergely L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Lukacs
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, McGill University, Montréal, QC, Canada H3G 1Y6.
authors.forename: Guido
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Veit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018925:Chemokines / Q000378:metabolism*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D027361:Organic Anion Transporters / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines; D027361:Organic Anion Transporters