The appendix in intestinal immunity and inflammatory bowel disease

炎症性肠病（IBD）包括两个实体：溃疡性结肠炎和克罗恩病。在相对年轻的患者群体中，IBD引起复发和缓解的肠道炎症。我们对IBD的病因了解不多，但这种疾病涉及肠道免疫系统、遗传易感性和肠道细菌之间的相互作用。许多研究小组得出的一个无法解释的观察结果是，切除阑尾，特别是在年轻时切除阑尾，可以预防溃疡性结肠炎和克罗恩病的后期发展。如果IBD在早期阑尾切除术后发展，它往往不那么严重。在这个项目中，我们计划检查人类和小鼠阑尾的免疫特征。阑尾是肠道中免疫细胞的主要来源，但这些细胞的性质及其功能尚不清楚。该项目的目的是探索从人类和小鼠阑尾中分离出来的免疫细胞（称为T淋巴细胞）的性质。随着年龄的变化将被检查，以解释阑尾切除术与ibd联系的年龄相关性。这些细胞的抗炎和促炎特性将被研究，这些细胞从阑尾到肠道其他部位的迁移途径将被澄清，这些T细胞在IBD小鼠模型中的治疗潜力将被阐明。此外，这将是第一个开发和分析阑尾炎小鼠模型的研究，人们对阑尾炎知之甚少。这些研究不仅与IBD有关，而且与肠道的免疫功能有关，这对我们对保护我们免受恶劣环境侵害的方式的基本理解具有重要意义。

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) consist of two entities: ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. IBD causes relapsing and remitting gut inflammation in relatively young populations of patients. Our understanding of causes of IBD is poor, but the diseases involve an interaction between the intestinal immune system, genetic predisposition and bacteria in the gut. One unexplained observation, made by a number of groups, is that removal of the appendix, especially if performed when young, protects against the later development of ulcerative colitis and probably Crohn s disease. If IBD does develop following earlier appendicectomy, it tends to be less severe. In this project, we plan to examine the immune features of the appendix, in human and mouse. The appendix is a major source of immune cells in the intestine but the nature of these cells and their functions are poorly understood. The aims of the project will explore the nature of immune cells, known as T lymphocytes, isolated from human and mouse appendices. Changes with age will be examined, to explain the age-related nature of the appendicectomy-IBD link. Anti- and pro-inflammatory characteristics of the cells will be studied, the migration pathways of these cells from appendix to other parts of the intestine will be clarified, and the therapeutic potential of these T cells in a mouse model of IBD will be elucidated. In addition, this will be the first study to develop and analyse a mouse model of appendicitis, which is very poorly understood. These studies will make important observations relevant not only to IBD, but to the immune function of the intestine, with implications for our fundamental understanding of the way we are protected from our hostile environment.