Actin is responsible for regulating paracellular flow across the intestinal epithelium. However, increased levels of actin suggest epithelial cell damage leading to increased intestinal permeability and decreased barrier function.
Intestinal Permeability is a term describing the control of material passing from inside the gastrointestinal tract through the cells lining the gut wall, into the rest of the body. One way in which intestinal permeability is modulated is via CXCR3 receptors in cells in the intestinal epithelium, which respond to zonulin. Gliadin (a glycoprotein present in wheat) activates zonulin signaling irrespective of the genetic expression of autoimmunity, leading to increased intestinal permeability to macromolecules. The cytoskeleton is also made up of proteins, which comprise a network of thin, overlapping fibers known as the actin-myosin network. This partnership between the actin-myosin network proteins controls the permeability of the tight junctions, and thus the intestinal barrier.
Anti-Actin IgG
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