NIH R01 · 2024
Nociceptor neuron regulation of gastrointestinal barrier protection and host defense
PROJECT SUMMARY Nociceptor neurons are peripheral sensory neurons that densely innervate the gastrointestinal tract, detecting noxious/harmful stimuli to mediate protective neural reflexes including pain. However, the role of nociceptor neurons or their molecular mediators in regulating gut physiology, barrier protection, and host defense is not well understood. Here we hypothesize that specific gut-innervating nociceptors signal to epithelial cells to modulate gut barrier defenses at homeostasis and during bacterial invasion. Our preliminary data show that nociceptor neurons and the nociceptor neuropeptide calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) signal to intestinal goblet cells and…
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