Nie Hong-Yun, Ge Jun, Huang Guo-Xing, Liu Kai-Ge, Yue Yuan, Li Hao, Lin Hai-Guan, Zhang Tao, Yan Hong-Feng, Xu Bing-Xin, Sun Hong-Wei, Yang Jian-Wu, Si Shao-Yan, Zhou Jin-Lian, Cui Yan
Department of General Surgery, The Ninth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Clinical laboratory, The Ninth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China.
Front Physiol. 2024 Oct 10;15:1465649. doi: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1465649. eCollection 2024.
Gut serves as the largest interface between humans and the environment, playing a crucial role in nutrient absorption and protection against harmful substances. The intestinal barrier acts as the initial defense mechanism against non-specific infections, with its integrity directly impacting the homeostasis and health of the human body. The primary factor attributed to the impairment of the intestinal barrier in previous studies has always centered on the gastrointestinal tract itself. In recent years, the concept of the "gut-organ" axis has gained significant popularity, revealing a profound interconnection between the gut and other organs. It speculates that disruption of these axes plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of intestinal barrier damage. The evaluation of intestinal barrier function and detection of enterogenic endotoxins can serve as "detecting agents" for identifying early functional alterations in the heart, kidney, and liver, thereby facilitating timely intervention in the disorders. Simultaneously, consolidating intestinal barrier integrity may also present a potential therapeutic approach to attenuate damage in other organs. Studies have demonstrated that diverse signaling pathways and their corresponding key molecules are extensively involved in the pathophysiological regulation of the intestinal barrier. Aberrant activation of these signaling pathways and dysregulated expression of key molecules play a pivotal role in the process of intestinal barrier impairment. Microgravity, being the predominant characteristic of space, can potentially exert a significant influence on diverse intestinal barriers. We will discuss the interaction between the "gut-organ" axes and intestinal barrier damage, further elucidate the signaling pathways underlying intestinal barrier damage, and summarize alterations in various components of the intestinal barrier under microgravity. This review aims to offer a novel perspective for comprehending the etiology and molecular mechanisms of intestinal barrier injury as well as the prevention and management of intestinal barrier injury under microgravity environment.
肠道是人类与环境之间最大的界面，在营养吸收和抵御有害物质方面发挥着关键作用。肠道屏障作为抵御非特异性感染的初始防御机制，其完整性直接影响人体的稳态和健康。以往研究中认为导致肠道屏障受损的主要因素一直集中在胃肠道本身。近年来，“肠-器官”轴的概念广受欢迎，揭示了肠道与其他器官之间的深刻联系。据推测，这些轴的破坏在肠道屏障损伤的发病机制和进展中起着关键作用。评估肠道屏障功能和检测肠源性内毒素可作为识别心脏、肾脏和肝脏早期功能改变的“检测剂”，从而便于对疾病进行及时干预。同时，巩固肠道屏障的完整性也可能是减轻其他器官损伤的一种潜在治疗方法。研究表明，多种信号通路及其相应的关键分子广泛参与肠道屏障的病理生理调节。这些信号通路的异常激活和关键分子的表达失调在肠道屏障损伤过程中起关键作用。微重力作为太空的主要特征，可能对多种肠道屏障产生重大影响。我们将讨论“肠-器官”轴与肠道屏障损伤之间的相互作用，进一步阐明肠道屏障损伤的信号通路，并总结微重力下肠道屏障各组成部分的变化。本综述旨在为理解肠道屏障损伤的病因和分子机制以及微重力环境下肠道屏障损伤的预防和管理提供新的视角。
