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. 2021 Jul 13;14:3171–3183. doi: 10.2147/JIR.S318327

Figure 4.

Figure 4

Immune regulation of goblet cell function and mucin production. (1) IL-33 and IL-25 activate ILC2 and Th2 cells during parasite infections, which release Th2 cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5, IL-9, and IL-13. IL-4 and IL-13 can promote goblet cell proliferation through STAT6 signaling. IL-4 and IL-13 also upregulate the expression of TFF3 and MUC2 via STAT6 or MAPK signaling. IL-25 and IL-9 also promoted goblet cell proliferation and mucin expression through IL-13 dependent pathway. IL-33 induces goblet cell differentiation by stimulating ILCs to produce IL-13. (2) Th1 cytokines such as TNF-α, IL-1β and IFN-γ play complex way in regulating mucin biosynthesis, which not only induce, but also inhibit MUC2 expression in different pathophysiological conditions. (3) IL-22 can regulate goblet cell differentiation and induces mucin expression in STAT3 signaling. IL-10 promotes mucin expression by inhibiting protein misfolding and ER stress in goblet cells.