Interplay between the Gut Epithelium, Intestinal Microflora and the Local Immune Response in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Lessons to be Learnt from Mdr1a Deficient Mice.

摘要

Mdr1a-/- mice lack the murine multiple drug resistance gene that encodes a 170kDa transmembrane protein, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which is normally expressed in many tissues including intestinal epithelial cells and a subset of lymphoid cells. This protein is one of a family of ATP binding cassette transporters responsible for the efflux of small amphsphilic and hydrophobia molecules from cells. Recently, it was reported that mdr1a knockout mice develop spontaneous intestinal inflammation, similar to human inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), when kept under specific pathogen free conditions. Here, we discuss the relevance of mdr1a knockout mice as a model for human IBD and emphasize the importance of the epithelial barrier for the maintenance of gut homeostasis.