SIAF: Disrupted epithelial barriers as a predictor of severe COVID-19 development
DAVOS, Switzerland, July 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the epithelial barrier theory, disruption of epithelial barriers by environmental and toxic agents triggers microbial dysbiosis, bacterial translocation to subepithelial areas and local or systemic immune/inflammatory response to environmental agents, allergens and microbes. Such events have been implicated in the development of chronic conditions like allergic, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, such as diabetes, obesity, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies, asthma, atopic dermatitis. In severe cases of COVID-19, characteristic features include hyperinflammation, hyperactivated immune responses (referred to as the cytokine storm), cellular infiltration, and organ damage.
- In severe cases of COVID-19, characteristic features include hyperinflammation, hyperactivated immune responses (referred to as the cytokine storm), cellular infiltration, and organ damage.
- The compromised epithelial barriers in the mucosas, particularly in gut mucosa facilitates the translocation of microbiota and their secreted metabolites, thus initiating or exacerbating inflammatory cascades in many inflammatory diseases.
- The research group of epithelial biology in the Swiss Institute of Allergy and Asthma Research, associated with the University of Zurich, has been working on epithelial barriers for more than 20 years.
- The authors analyzed the amount of bacterial DNA leakage to circulation and showed the link between disrupted epithelial barriers and an excessive inflammatory response.