Parasites trigger epithelial cell crosstalk to drive gut-brain signalling - PubMed
3 hours ago
- #gut-brain axis
- #parasitic infection
- #neuro-immune interaction
- Parasitic infections modulate immune and sensory responses.
- Gut epithelium contains specialized sensory cells like cholinergic tuft cells and serotonergic enterochromaffin (EC) cells.
- Tuft cells detect parasites and initiate type 2 immune responses.
- EC cells detect irritants and communicate with nerve fibers for nociceptive signals.
- Paracrine signaling between tuft and EC cells facilitates gut-brain communication.
- Tuft cells release acetylcholine (ACh) via acute and sustained mechanisms.
- Sustained ACh release from tuft cells activates EC cells to produce serotonin, stimulating vagal afferent neurons.
- This signaling mechanism explains the transition from asymptomatic to symptomatic parasitic infection.
- Type 2 immune and sensory pathways collaborate to evoke protective behaviors like reduced food intake.