Abstract

PORPORATTO, Carina; BIANCO, Ismael Darío  and  CORREA, Silvia Graciela. Modulation of the mucosal immune system with polysaccharides: Basis for an attractive therapeutic alternative. Acta bioquím. clín. latinoam. [online]. 2007, vol.41, n.2, pp.193-202. ISSN 0325-2957.

The mucosal immune system exhibits distinctive traits: it is permanently exposed to an overwhelming amount and variety of antigens; it maintains a continuous immune activity and it sustains a physiological environment biased to anti-inflammatory responses. Although it mounts efficient responses against pathogens, it reacts to innocuous antigens developing the oral tolerance state. Oral tolerance is a natural process that can be safely applied for the treatment of autoimmune, inflammatory or allergic diseases. Compounds able to promote the tolerance phenomenon can be used to optimize the development of alternative therapies. Chitosan (Q) is a natural and abundant polysaccharide with singular biological and physico-chemical properties that make it a good candidate to modulate the mucosal immunity: non toxic, biocompatible and biodegradable, strongly mucoadhesive favoring the transepithelial absorption of proteins and adjuvant, enhancing the levels of IgA to co-administered antigens. This work describes the Q activity mechanism early after its oral administration, for the first time showing, Q´s contribution to the intestinal homeostasis and also its modulation of the immune response to a protein antigen at local and systemic level. These studies will help understand how the intestinal regulatory activity occurs, and develop new therapeutic approaches to stimulate anti-inflammatory environments at mucosal level.

Keywords : Chitosan; mucosal; oral tolerance; arthritis.

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