Gut Microbiota-Immune System Crosstalk and Pancreatic Disorders

Figure 1

Role of leaky gut in pancreatic inflammation and carcinogenesis. The breakdown of the relationship among physiologic and pathogenic bacteria, the immune system, and intestinal epithelial barrier leads to dysbiosis. The pancreas does not possess its own microbiota, and thus, inflammatory and neoplastic processes affecting the gland may be linked to intestinal dysbiosis. In this way, during bacterial overgrowth, leaky gut is responsible for the translocation of bacteria and toxins to the pancreas. Bacterial translocation is involved in pancreatic inflammation due to toxin diffusion and complications like fibrosis, digestive and absorption disorders, diabetes, or cancer. TLR: Toll-like receptors; NLRs: NOD-like receptors; IL: interleukin; IFN: interferon; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; ROR-γt: RAR-related orphan receptor-gamma t; NF-kB: nuclear factor kappa-B.