American journal of physiology. Gastrointestinal and liver physiology
-
Am. J. Physiol. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol. · Sep 2013
Lipid-rich enteral nutrition regulates mucosal mast cell activation via the vagal anti-inflammatory reflex.
Nutritional stimulation of the cholecystokinin-1 receptor (CCK-1R) and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR)-mediated vagal reflex was shown to reduce inflammation and preserve intestinal integrity. Mast cells are important early effectors of the innate immune response; therefore modulation of mucosal mast cells is a potential therapeutic target to control the acute inflammatory response in the intestine. The present study investigates intestinal mast cell responsiveness upon nutritional activation of the vagal anti-inflammatory reflex during acute inflammation. ⋯ Accordingly, release of β-hexosaminidase by MC/9 mast cells following LPS or IgE-ovalbumin complexes was dose dependently inhibited by acetylcholine and nicotine. Application of GSK1345038A, a specific agonist of the nAChR α7, in bone marrow-derived mast cells from nAChR β2-/- and wild types indicated that cholinergic inhibition of mast cells is mediated by the nAChR α7 and is independent of the nAChR β2. Together, the present study reveals mucosal mast cells as a previously unknown target of the nutritional anti-inflammatory vagal reflex.