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Aryl hydrocarbon receptor and colitis

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Abstract

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a transcription factor activated by a large variety of natural and synthetic ligands, has recently become the object of great interest among researchers since it represents an important link between environment and immune-mediated pathologies. In this context, evidence has been accumulated to show that AhR is necessary for the maintenance/expansion of intraepithelial lymphocytes and interleukin-22-producing innate lymphoid cells in the gut and that defects in AhR-delivered signals may contribute to amplify gut tissue destructive immune-inflammatory reactions. We here review the available data supporting the role of AhR in the control of immune homeostasis in the gut and discuss whether and how AhR activators can help dampen inflammatory processes.

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Acknowledgments

The authors received support for their work on AhR in IBD from Giuliani Spa (Milan, Italy) and “Fondazione Umberto Di Mario” (Rome, Italy).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Medicina dei Sistemi, Università Tor Vergata di Roma, Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy

    Ivan Monteleone, Francesco Pallone & Giovanni Monteleone

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  1. Ivan Monteleone
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  2. Francesco Pallone
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  3. Giovanni Monteleone
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ivan Monteleone.

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This article is a contribution to the special issue on Roles of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Controlling Immunity - Guest Editors: C. Pot, V. Kuchroo and F. Quintaña

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Monteleone, I., Pallone, F. & Monteleone, G. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor and colitis. Semin Immunopathol 35, 671–675 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00281-013-0396-2

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