Luminal antigens at the gastrointestinal mucosal surface

Luminal antigens at the gastrointestinal mucosal surface represent a heterogeneous group of molecules, including dietary proteins, commensal microorganisms, and pathogenic agents, that interact with the host's immune system within the gut. The primary biological role of these antigens is to serve as the basis for the development of oral tolerance or the initiation of protective immune responses via the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) (Nature Reviews Immunology, 2014). In healthy states, the intestinal barrier and regulatory T cells ensure that harmless dietary and commensal antigens do not trigger an inflammatory response. However, in pathological states such as Celiac disease or Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), the immune system fails to maintain this tolerance, leading to chronic inflammation and mucosal damage (PubMed, 2021). Therapeutic interventions targeting these antigens include the use of oral enzymes to degrade immunogenic peptides, such as gluten, or the administration of oral vaccines to prime the immune system against specific pathogens (NIH, 2023). Additionally, some therapies aim to sequester or neutralize these antigens before they can cross the epithelial barrier and activate immune cells. Understanding the complex interplay between these antigens and the mucosal barrier is critical for developing treatments for autoimmune, allergic, and infectious conditions.

Other names

Gut luminal antigensIntestinal antigensDietary antigensCommensal antigensMicrobial antigens

Enzymatic degradation of antigens, sequestration of antigens, or induction of mucosal immune tolerance.