Fig. 1
From: Neuroinflammation as an etiological trigger for depression comorbid with inflammatory bowel disease
Schematic overview of the mechanisms underlying intestinal barrier dysfunction commonly seen in human IBD and animal models of colitis. Impaired mucous production and composition and/or impaired tight junction protein localisation and production result in luminal microbiota and toxin paracellularly translocating into the intestinal lamina propria layer. Immune cells in this region interacting with antigens trigger the production of inflammatory mediators, which facilitate the recruitment of other leukocytes and lymphocytes. Inflammatory mediators enter peripheral circulation whereby they may trigger distant immunological activation. FADD Fas-associated protein with death domain; IFN Interferon; IL Interleukin; MLC myosin light chain; MLCK myosin light-chain kinase; MMP metalloproteinase, P phosphate; PI3K phosphoinositide 3-kinase; ROCK Rho associated protein kinase; TJ tight junction; TLR toll-like receptor; TNF tumour necrosis factor; ZO zonula occludens