Intestinal neuron-associated macrophages in health and disease

Abstract

Neuron–macrophage cross-talk in the intestine plays a crucial role in the maintenance of tissue homeostasis and the modulation of immune responses throughout life. Here, we describe how gut neuron–macrophage interactions shift macrophage phenotype and function from early development to adulthood and how this cross-talk modulates the macrophage function in response to infection and inflammation. We highlight how a neural microenvironment instructs a neuron-associated macrophage phenotype in the gut and show that their phenotype may resemble nerve-associated macrophages in other organs. Finally, we note that the loss of neuron-associated macrophages or a shift in their phenotype can contribute to enteric neurodegeneration in the gastrointestinal tract, causing gut motility disorders.