Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses in Intestinal Transplant Rejection: Through the Lens of Inflammatory Bowel and Intestinal Graft-Versus-Host Diseases

Gastroenterol Clin North Am. 2024 Sep;53(3):359-382. doi: 10.1016/j.gtc.2024.01.002. Epub 2024 Feb 15.

Abstract

Intestinal transplantation is a life-saving procedure utilized for patients failing total parenteral nutrition. However, intestinal transplantattion remains plagued with low survival rates and high risk of allograft rejection. The authors explore roles of innate (macrophages, natural killer cells, innate lymphoid cells) and adaptive immune cells (Th1, Th2, Th17, Tregs) in inflammatory responses, particularly inflammatory bowel disease and graft versus host disease, and correlate these findings to intestinal allograft rejection, highlighting which effectors exacerbate or suppress intestinal rejection. Better understanding of this immunology can open further investigation into potential biomolecular targets to develop improved therapeutic treatment options and immunomonitoring techniques to combat allograft rejection and enhance patient lives.

Keywords: Adaptive; GvHD; IBD; Immunity; Innate; Intestine; Rejection; Transplantation.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adaptive Immunity*
  • Graft Rejection* / immunology
  • Graft vs Host Disease* / etiology
  • Graft vs Host Disease* / immunology
  • Humans
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Inflammatory Bowel Diseases* / immunology
  • Intestines* / immunology
  • Intestines* / transplantation
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology