Intestinal barrier function: Molecular regulation and disease pathogenesis

The intestinal epithelium is a single-cell layer that constitutes the largest and most important barrier against the external environment. It acts as a selectively permeable barrier, permitting the absorption of nutrients, electrolytes, and water while maintaining an effective defense against intraluminal toxins, antigens, and enteric flora. The epithelium maintains its selective barrier function through the formation of complex protein-protein networks that mechanically link adjacent cells and seal the intercellular space. The protein networks connecting epithelial cells form 3 adhesive complexes: desmosomes, adherens junctions, and tight junctions. These complexes consist of transmembrane proteins that interact extracellularly with adjacent cells and intracellularly with adaptor proteins that link to the cytoskeleton. Over the past decade, there has been increasing recognition of an association between disrupted intestinal barrier function and the development of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this review we summarize the evolving understanding of the molecular composition and regulation of intestinal barrier function. We discuss the interactions between innate and adaptive immunity and intestinal epithelial barrier function, as well as the effect of exogenous factors on intestinal barrier function. Finally, we summarize clinical and experimental evidence demonstrating intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction as a major factor contributing to the predisposition to inflammatory diseases, including food allergy, inflammatory bowel diseases, and celiac disease.

Key word: Intestinal epithelium

Abbreviations used: AJ, Adherens junction, BBDP, BioBreeding diabetes-prone rat, CD, Crohn's disease, EPEC, Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, HA/P, Hemagglutinin protease, HRP, Horseradish peroxidase, IBD, Inflammatory bowel disease, iIEL, Intestinal intraepithelial lymphocyte, iIL-9Tg, Intestinal IL-9 transgenic mice, JAM, Junctional adhesion molecule, MAPK, Mitogen-activated protein kinase, MLC, Myosin light chain, MLCK, Myosin light chain kinase, MUPP1, Multi-PDZ domain protein-1, NSAID, Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, NO, Nitric oxide, PALS1, Protein associated with Lin Seven-1, PATJ, PALS1-associated protein, PDZ, Postsynaptic density-95/Drosophila disc large/Zonula occludens-1 protein, PKC, Protein kinase C, STAT, Signal transducer and activator of transcription, TER, Transepithelial resistance, TJ, Tight junction, ZO, Zonula occludens, Zot, Zonula occludens toxin