Interleukin 25 and its biological features and function in intestinal diseases

Evaluating the association between immunological proteins and common intestinal diseases using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study

Dysregulation of intestinal homeostasis, characterized by imbalanced immunological proteins, contributes to the pathogenesis of common intestinal diseases, e.g., irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the potential causal relationships between specific immunological proteins and these diseases remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we employed the bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis to infer potential causal relationships between representative immunological proteins and these intestinal diseases. Genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics of IBS, IBD, and CRC were obtained from public databases and utilized in MR analysis. Multiple sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness, with p-values adjusted using the Benjamini-Hochberg method for multiple comparisons. Our findings revealed a significant association between IL-1β (OR = 0.783, 95 % CI: 0.676 to 0.908, adjusted P = 0.048) and a decreased risk of IBS. Furthermore, genetic predisposition to IBS was related to the reduced levels of IL-25 (β =  - 0.233, 95 % CI: -0.372 to -0.094, adjusted P = 0.047). Additionally, genetic predisposition to IBD was correlated with elevated levels of IL-6 (β = 0.046, 95 % CI: 0.022-0.069, adjusted P = 0.010). The levels of TNF-α (OR = 1.252, 95 % CI: 1.102 to 1.423, adjusted P = 0.047) were associated with an increased risk of CRC. Our study suggests associations between specific immunological proteins and intestinal diseases, which would provide valuable insights for developing targeted immunomodulation therapies for these conditions. Further investigation into underlying mechanisms remains a research priority in the future.

The Roles of Various Immune Cell Populations in Immune Response against Helminths

Helminths are multicellular parasites that are a substantial problem for both human and veterinary medicine. According to estimates, 1.5 billion people suffer from their infection, resulting in decreased life quality and burdens for healthcare systems. On the other hand, these infections may alleviate autoimmune diseases and allergy symptoms. The immune system is programmed to combat infections; nevertheless, its effector mechanisms may result in immunopathologies and exacerbate clinical symptoms. This review summarizes the role of the immune response against worms, with an emphasis on the Th2 response, which is a hallmark of helminth infections. We characterize non-immune cells (enteric tuft cells-ETCs) responsible for detecting parasites, as well as the role of hematopoietic-derived cells (macrophages, basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, innate lymphoid cells group 2-ILC2s, mast cells, T cells, and B cells) in initiating and sustaining the immune response, as well as the functions they play in granulomas. The aim of this paper is to review the existing knowledge regarding the immune response against helminths, to attempt to decipher the interactions between cells engaged in the response, and to indicate the gaps in the current knowledge.