Journal
DIGESTION
Volume 102, Issue 2, Pages 128-138Publisher
KARGER
DOI: 10.1159/000504474
Keywords
Cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway; Vagus nerve stimulation; α 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor; Gastrointestinal tract
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The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAIP) modulates the immune system through the vagus nerve (VN) and plays an anti-inflammatory role. The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effect of VNS through CAIP is not fully known, but animal studies have shown beneficial effects in treating inflammatory diseases, particularly in the gastrointestinal tract.
Background: The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAIP) has been proposed as a key mechanism by which the brain, through the vagus nerve (VN), modulates the immune system in the body. Recent studies of VN stimulation (VNS) in vivo systems have shown that it plays an anti-inflammatory role through CAIP. Inflammatory diseases in the gastrointestinal tract are frequent and difficult to treat. Summary: The mechanism of the anti-inflammatory effect of VNS through CAIP is not fully known. The current review covers anatomy, molecular mechanisms, and the application in gastrointestinal diseases of the vagal CAIP. Key Messages: CAIP bridges immune and nervous systems and plays pleiotropic roles in modulating inflammation in animal models by targeting different immune, proinflammatory, epithelial and endothelial cells, and signaling pathways. Numerous animal studies have shown beneficial effects of stimulation of this pathway in models of inflammatory diseases, either through (electrical) stimulation of the VN or pharmacological approaches. In this review, we focus on the anti-inflammatory benefits of VNS as a means of providing new insights into treating inflammation-related gastrointestinal diseases, as exemplified by those described herein.
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