An innately dangerous balancing act: Intestinal homeostasis, inflammation, and colitis-associated cancer

Mark Asquith, Fiona Powrie

Research output: Contribution to journalShort surveypeer-review

114 Scopus citations

Abstract

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by dysregulated immune responses to the intestinal microbiota, and by chronic intestinal inflammation. Several recent studies demonstrate the importance of innate microbial recognition by immune and nonimmune cells in the gut. Paradoxically, either diminished or exacerbated innate immune signaling may trigger the breakdown of intestinal homeostasis, leading to IBD and colitis-associated cancer (CAC). This dichotomy may reflect divergent functional roles for immune sensing in intestinal epithelial cells and leukocytes, which may vary with distinct disease mechanisms.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1573-1577
Number of pages5
JournalJournal of Experimental Medicine
Volume207
Issue number8
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2 2010
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Immunology and Allergy
  • Immunology

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