[Immunological research and diagnosis in gastroenterology--a review on occasion of two jubilees].

Norwegian immunological research in gastroenterology is well recognized internationally, and the European Medical Research Council Clinical Network for Gastroenterological Immunology is organized from Oslo. This development can be explained mainly by successful cooperation between clinical gastroenterology and laboratory-based research. A current jubilee in each of these fields may justify this review. It is now well documented that the gut is the largest antibody-producing organ. A unique molecular integration exists between the local B cells and the secretory epithelium to facilitate external transport of dimeric IgA and pentameric IgM. The mucosal immune system is subjected to T-cell regulation and significant local alterations are observed in T- and B-cell populations, and in the macrophage subsets associated with several diseases of the gut. Subsequent functional immune deviation may largely explain mucosal pathology and indicates potential targets for future immunotherapeutic measures. Observations made in the gut mucosa of HIV/AIDS patients have contributed to greater understanding of the complex cellular and molecular interactions involved in mucosal immunity.