The hidden piece in inflammatory bowel diseases: The significance of intestinal mucus in mediating the bacteria-cells crosstalk

IF 8.7 1区医学 Q1 ENGINEERING, BIOMEDICAL

Materials Today Bio Pub Date : 2025-06-02 DOI:10.1016/j.mtbio.2025.101937

Giuseppe Guagliano , Lucia Boeri , Marta Merli , Hongji Yan , Francesco Briatico Vangosa , Livia Visai , Sonja Visentin , Paola Petrini , Lorenzo Sardelli

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Abstract

Inflammatory bowels diseases (IBD) are chronic conditions with a complex not yet fully understood pathogenesis, characterized by a compromised intestinal barrier. Traditionally, the gut microbiota and the intestinal epithelium have been considered the primary contributors to this dysfunction. However, emerging evidence underscore the crucial role of a third key player: the intestinal mucus. Mucus acts as an equal partner alongside the epithelium and microbiota, functioning as a cell-free interface that filters molecules and toxins while preventing bacterial penetration through its unique structural and compositional properties. Despite its significance, the role of mucus in IBD remains underappreciated, with relative few studies focusing specifically on mucus compared to ones centred on epithelial cells and bacteria. This review explores the features of the intestinal barrier by exanimating each component of the gut mucosa (i.e., epithelium, microbiota, and mucus) from a mucus-centred perspective. In this way, we aim to highlight the crucial role of mucus in IBD and its importance for new potential therapeutic treatments.

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炎症性肠病的隐蔽处：肠粘液在介导细菌-细胞串扰中的意义

炎症性肠病（IBD）是一种复杂的慢性疾病，其发病机制尚未完全了解，其特征是肠屏障受损。传统上，肠道微生物群和肠上皮被认为是这种功能障碍的主要原因。然而，新出现的证据强调了第三个关键角色的关键作用：肠道粘液。粘液与上皮和微生物群是平等的伙伴，作为无细胞界面，过滤分子和毒素，同时通过其独特的结构和组成特性阻止细菌渗透。尽管粘液具有重要意义，但其在IBD中的作用仍未得到充分认识，与以上皮细胞和细菌为中心的研究相比，专门针对粘液的研究相对较少。本文从以黏液为中心的角度，通过检查肠道粘膜的各个组成部分（即上皮、微生物群和黏液），探讨了肠道屏障的特征。通过这种方式，我们旨在强调粘液在IBD中的关键作用及其对新的潜在治疗方法的重要性。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Materials Today Bio Multiple-

CiteScore

8.30

自引率

4.90%

发文量

303

审稿时长

30 days

期刊介绍： Materials Today Bio is a multidisciplinary journal that specializes in the intersection between biology and materials science, chemistry, physics, engineering, and medicine. It covers various aspects such as the design and assembly of new structures, their interaction with biological systems, functionalization, bioimaging, therapies, and diagnostics in healthcare. The journal aims to showcase the most significant advancements and discoveries in this field. As part of the Materials Today family, Materials Today Bio provides rigorous peer review, quick decision-making, and high visibility for authors. It is indexed in Scopus, PubMed Central, Emerging Sources, Citation Index (ESCI), and Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ).