IMMUNOLOGY2026™ Conference Recordings For Attendees-Sensory neuronal regulation of intestinal inflammation and immunity

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Wen Zhang described research on how nociceptor sensory neurons regulate intestinal immunity and tissue physiology. In inflammatory bowel disease, human biopsies showed reduced mucosal sensory innervation. In mouse models, silencing or ablating nociceptors worsened chemical-induced gut injury by causing dysbiosis, expansion of gram-positive bacteria, and impaired tissue repair, with substance P implicated in protection. Zhang then focused on type 2 immunity during helminth infection. Activating Nav1.8+ nociceptors expanded tuft cells, increased IL-25 and ILC2 activation, and improved worm clearance. This effect depended on CGRP signaling: blocking CGRP or deleting its receptor in intestinal epithelium impaired tuft cell responses and delayed parasite clearance. Spatial transcriptomics also showed increased epithelial progenitor proliferation and secretory lineage commitment. Zhang proposed a “sensory convergence” framework in which neurons integrate with microbial, chemical, and epithelial signals to shape immunity.

Meta Tag

Date April 18, 2026 12:45 PM - 1:00 PM

Room 153C

Session Emerging Topics in Mucosal Immunology

Speaker Wen Zhang

Track Mucosal And Regional Immunology (MUC)

Year 2026

Keywords

nociceptor sensory neurons

intestinal immunity

inflammatory bowel disease

helminth infection

CGRP signaling

April 18, 2026 12:45 PM - 1:00 PM

153C

Emerging Topics in Mucosal Immunology

Wen Zhang

Mucosal And Regional Immunology (MUC)

2026