Table 1. Selected epithelial cell... | American Society of Hematology

Table 1.

Selected epithelial cell populations and relationship to allogeneic HCT

Cell type	Homeostatic functions	Sensitivity to damage from conditioning	Reduced in acute GVHD	Effect on acute GVHD
Intestinal epithelial cells, generally, and enterocytes in particular	Barrier function, absorb nutrients, secrete antimicrobial peptides, sense pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and modulate immune cells⁶⁰	Yes	Yes	Loss of barrier function contributes to acute GVHD¹¹⁹
Goblet cells	Secrete mucus, transfer antigen to dendritic cells¹²⁰	Complicated and dynamic response^121-123	Decreased goblet cell frequency in experimental GVHD¹²⁴	May help prevent GVHD by contributing to barrier function.⁹⁶FUT2 genotype associated with GVH severity.¹¹²
Paneth cells	Secrete antimicrobial molecules and provide growth factors to ISCs⁶	Function is modulated (eg, production of α-defensins)^65,125	Reduced in mouse models and human GVHD^57,64-66	Has not been directly assessed, but genetic mouse studies suggest Paneth cells might dampen acute GVHD¹²⁶
ISC	Maintain epithelium	Yes, but progenitors are thought to be more radiosensitive¹²⁷	Reduced in mouse models of acute GVHD^55-57	Supporting ISCs reduces acute GVHD^55,57
Tuft cell (a type of intestinal epithelial cell)	Regulate type 2 innate lymphoid cells through production of IL-25¹²¹	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown

Cell type	Homeostatic functions	Sensitivity to damage from conditioning	Reduced in acute GVHD	Effect on acute GVHD
Intestinal epithelial cells, generally, and enterocytes in particular	Barrier function, absorb nutrients, secrete antimicrobial peptides, sense pathogen-associated molecular patterns, and modulate immune cells⁶⁰	Yes	Yes	Loss of barrier function contributes to acute GVHD¹¹⁹
Goblet cells	Secrete mucus, transfer antigen to dendritic cells¹²⁰	Complicated and dynamic response^121-123	Decreased goblet cell frequency in experimental GVHD¹²⁴	May help prevent GVHD by contributing to barrier function.⁹⁶FUT2 genotype associated with GVH severity.¹¹²
Paneth cells	Secrete antimicrobial molecules and provide growth factors to ISCs⁶	Function is modulated (eg, production of α-defensins)^65,125	Reduced in mouse models and human GVHD^57,64-66	Has not been directly assessed, but genetic mouse studies suggest Paneth cells might dampen acute GVHD¹²⁶
ISC	Maintain epithelium	Yes, but progenitors are thought to be more radiosensitive¹²⁷	Reduced in mouse models of acute GVHD^55-57	Supporting ISCs reduces acute GVHD^55,57
Tuft cell (a type of intestinal epithelial cell)	Regulate type 2 innate lymphoid cells through production of IL-25¹²¹	Unknown	Unknown	Unknown