-
Trends in Molecular Medicine Jan 2022The prevalence of food allergies has reached epidemic levels but the cause remains largely unknown. We discuss the clinical relevance of the gut mucosal barrier as a... (Review)
Review
The prevalence of food allergies has reached epidemic levels but the cause remains largely unknown. We discuss the clinical relevance of the gut mucosal barrier as a site for allergic sensitization to food. In this context, we focus on an important but overlooked part of the mucosal barrier in pathogenesis, the glycoprotein-rich mucus layer, and call attention to both beneficial and detrimental aspects of mucus-gut microbiome interactions. Studying the intricate links between the mucus barrier, the associated bacteria, and the mucosal immune system may advance our understanding of the mechanisms and inform prevention and treatment strategies in food allergy.
Topics: Bacteria; Food Hypersensitivity; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Mucus
PubMed: 34810087
DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2021.10.004 -
Allergology International : Official... Jul 2024
Topics: Humans; Asthma; Mucus
PubMed: 38906642
DOI: 10.1016/j.alit.2024.06.001 -
MicrobiologyOpen Feb 2022The search for new natural compounds for application in medicine and cosmetics is a trend in biotechnology. One of the sources of such active compounds is the snail...
The search for new natural compounds for application in medicine and cosmetics is a trend in biotechnology. One of the sources of such active compounds is the snail mucus. Snail physiology and the biological activity of their fluids (especially the mucus) are still poorly studied. Only a few previous studies explored the relationship between snails and their microbiome. The present study was focused on the biodiversity of the snail mucus used in the creation of cosmetic products, therapeutics, and nutraceuticals. The commonly used cultivation techniques were applied for the determination of the number of major bacterial groups. Fluorescence in situ hybridization for key taxa was performed. The obtained images were subjected to digital image analysis. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was also done. The results showed that the mucus harbors a rich bacterial community (10.78 × 10 CFU/ml). Among the dominant bacteria, some are known for their ability to metabolize complex polysaccharides or are usually found in soil and plants (Rhizobiaceae, Shewanella, Pedobacter, Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes). The obtained data demonstrated that the snail mucus creates a unique environment for the development of the microbial community that differs from other parts of the animal and which resulted from the combined contribution of the microbiomes derived from the soil, plants, and the snails.
Topics: Amino Acid Sequence; Animals; Bacteria; Computational Biology; In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; Isoelectric Point; Metagenomics; Microbiota; Mucus; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Snails; Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; Tandem Mass Spectrometry
PubMed: 35212476
DOI: 10.1002/mbo3.1263 -
The FEBS Journal Mar 2021As a natural environment for human-microbiota interactions, healthy mucus houses a remarkably stable and diverse microbial community. Maintaining this microbiota is... (Review)
Review
As a natural environment for human-microbiota interactions, healthy mucus houses a remarkably stable and diverse microbial community. Maintaining this microbiota is essential to human health, both to support the commensal bacteria that perform a wide array of beneficial functions and to prevent the outgrowth of pathogens. However, how the host selects and maintains a specialized microbiota remains largely unknown. In this viewpoint, we propose several strategies by which mucus may regulate the composition and function of the human microbiota and discuss how compromised mucus barriers in disease can give rise to microbial dysbiosis.
Topics: Animals; Bacteria; Dysbiosis; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Models, Biological; Mucins; Mucus; Polysaccharides
PubMed: 32755014
DOI: 10.1111/febs.15504 -
Advanced Materials (Deerfield Beach,... Jul 2012A method that could provide more uniform and longer-lasting drug and gene delivery to mucosal surfaces holds the potential to greatly improve the effectiveness of... (Review)
Review
A method that could provide more uniform and longer-lasting drug and gene delivery to mucosal surfaces holds the potential to greatly improve the effectiveness of prophylactic and therapeutic approaches for numerous diseases and conditions, including sexually transmitted infections, cystic fibrosis, chronic rhinosinusitis, inflammatory bowel disease, and glaucoma to name a few. However, the body's natural defenses, including adhesive, rapidly cleared mucus linings coating nearly all entry points to the body not covered by skin, has limited the effectiveness of drug and gene delivery by nanoscale delivery systems. This article discusses the recent development of the “mucuspenetrating particle” or “MPP” nanotechnology, and how it has been used to both enhance understanding of the nanoscale barrier properties of human mucus secretions, and to achieve more uniform and longer-lasting drug delivery to mucosal tissues following topical administration. Drug loaded MPPs possess non-adhesive coatings that allow them to rapidly penetrate mucus layers through openings in the mucus mesh at rates nearly as fast as they would penetrate pure water. Critically, MPPs allow enhanced drug and gene delivery to mucosal tissues without diminishing the protective function of mucus. Recent progress in the development of MPPs as a biophysical tool to probe the length-scale dependent rheological properties of mucosal secretions and as a method for drug and gene delivery is highlighted.
Topics: Administration, Topical; Animals; Biophysical Phenomena; Drug Delivery Systems; Gene Transfer Techniques; Humans; Mucus; Nanoparticles; Nanotechnology
PubMed: 22988559
DOI: 10.1002/adma.201201800 -
Marine Drugs Jun 2023The slow discovery of new antibiotics combined with the alarming emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria underscores the need for alternative treatments. In this... (Review)
Review
The slow discovery of new antibiotics combined with the alarming emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria underscores the need for alternative treatments. In this regard, fish skin mucus has been demonstrated to contain a diverse array of bioactive molecules with antimicrobial properties, including peptides, proteins, and other metabolites. This review aims to provide an overview of the antimicrobial molecules found in fish skin mucus and its reported in vitro antimicrobial capacity against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. Additionally, the different methods of mucus extraction, which can be grouped as aqueous, organic, and acidic extractions, are presented. Finally, omic techniques (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and multiomics) are described as key tools for the identification and isolation of new antimicrobial compounds. Overall, this study provides valuable insight into the potential of fish skin mucus as a promising source for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents.
Topics: Animals; Skin; Anti-Infective Agents; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Mucus; Bacteria; Plant Extracts
PubMed: 37367675
DOI: 10.3390/md21060350 -
Gut Microbes 2022Over the past two decades, our appreciation of the gut mucus has moved from a static lubricant to a dynamic and essential component of the gut ecosystem that not only... (Review)
Review
Over the past two decades, our appreciation of the gut mucus has moved from a static lubricant to a dynamic and essential component of the gut ecosystem that not only mediates the interface between host tissues and vast microbiota, but regulates how this ecosystem functions to promote mutualistic symbioses and protect from microbe-driven diseases. By delving into the complex chemistry and biology of the mucus, combined with innovative in vivo and ex vivo approaches, recent studies have revealed novel insights into the formation and function of the mucus system, the O-glycans that make up this system, and how they mediate two major host-defense strategies - resistance and tolerance - to reduce damage caused by indigenous microbes and opportunistic pathogens. This current review summarizes these findings by highlighting the emerging roles of mucus and mucin-type O-glycans in influencing host and microbial physiology with an emphasis on host defense strategies against bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.
Topics: Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Glycosylation; Intestinal Mucosa; Microbiota; Mucins; Mucus; Symbiosis
PubMed: 35380912
DOI: 10.1080/19490976.2022.2052699 -
Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews May 2022The secreted mucus layer that lines and protects epithelial cells is conserved across diverse species. While the exact composition of this protective layer varies... (Review)
Review
The secreted mucus layer that lines and protects epithelial cells is conserved across diverse species. While the exact composition of this protective layer varies between organisms, certain elements are conserved, including proteins that are heavily decorated with N-acetylgalactosamine-based sugars linked to serines or threonines (O-linked glycosylation). These heavily O-glycosylated proteins, known as mucins, exist in many forms and are able to form hydrated gel-like structures that coat epithelial surfaces. In vivo studies in diverse organisms have highlighted the importance of both the mucin proteins as well as their constituent O-glycans in the protection and health of internal epithelia. Here, we summarize in vivo approaches that have shed light on the synthesis and function of these essential components of mucus.
Topics: Epithelial Cells; Glycosylation; Humans; Mucins; Mucus; Polysaccharides
PubMed: 35278522
DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114182 -
International Journal of Molecular... Sep 2021The gastrointestinal tract is optimized to efficiently absorb nutrients and provide a competent barrier against a variety of lumen environmental compounds. Different... (Review)
Review
The gastrointestinal tract is optimized to efficiently absorb nutrients and provide a competent barrier against a variety of lumen environmental compounds. Different regulatory mechanisms jointly collaborate to maintain intestinal homeostasis, but alterations in these mechanisms lead to a dysfunctional gastrointestinal barrier and are associated to several inflammatory conditions usually found in chronic pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The gastrointestinal mucus, mostly composed of mucin glycoproteins, covers the epithelium and plays an essential role in digestive and barrier functions. However, its regulation is very dynamic and is still poorly understood. This review presents some aspects concerning the role of mucus in gut health and its alterations in IBD. In addition, the impact of gut microbiota and dietary compounds as environmental factors modulating the mucus layer is addressed. To date, studies have evidenced the impact of the three-way interplay between the microbiome, diet and the mucus layer on the gut barrier, host immune system and IBD. This review emphasizes the need to address current limitations on this topic, especially regarding the design of robust human trials and highlights the potential interest of improving our understanding of the regulation of the intestinal mucus barrier in IBD.
Topics: Animals; Diet; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases; Intestinal Mucosa; Mucus; Nutrients
PubMed: 34638564
DOI: 10.3390/ijms221910224 -
Annals of the American Thoracic Society Nov 2018A spectrum of intrapulmonary airway diseases, for example, cigarette smoke-induced bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and non-cystic fibrosis... (Review)
Review
A spectrum of intrapulmonary airway diseases, for example, cigarette smoke-induced bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, primary ciliary dyskinesia, and non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis, can be categorized as "mucoobstructive" airway diseases. A common theme for these diseases appears to be the failure to properly regulate mucus concentration, producing mucus hyperconcentration that slows mucus transport and, importantly, generates plaque/plug adhesion to airway surfaces. These mucus plaques/plugs generate long diffusion distances for oxygen, producing hypoxic niches within adherent airway mucus and subjacent epithelia. Data suggest that concentrated mucus plaques/plugs are proinflammatory, in part mediated by release of IL-1α from hypoxic cells. The infectious component of mucoobstructive diseases may be initiated by anaerobic bacteria that proliferate within the nutrient-rich hypoxic mucus environment. Anaerobes ultimately may condition mucus to provide the environment for a succession to classic airway pathogens, including Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzae, and ultimately Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Novel therapies to treat mucoobstructive diseases focus on restoring mucus concentration. Strategies to rehydrate mucus range from the inhalation of osmotically active solutes, designed to draw water into airway surfaces, to strategies designed to manipulate the relative rates of sodium absorption versus chloride secretion to endogenously restore epithelial hydration. Similarly, strategies designed to reduce the mucin burden in the airways, either by reducing mucin production/secretion or by clearing accumulated mucus (e.g., reducing agents), are under development. Thus, the new insights into a unifying process, that is, mucus hyperconcentration, that drives a significant component of the pathogenesis of mucoobstructive diseases promise multiple new therapeutic strategies to aid patients with this syndrome.
Topics: Chloride Channel Agonists; Expectorants; Humans; Lung Diseases, Obstructive; Mucus
PubMed: 30431343
DOI: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201806-368AW