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REVIEW article

Front. Immunol.
Sec. Mucosal Immunity
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1496293

Unraveling the Gut: The Pivotal Role of Intestinal Mechanisms in Kawasaki Disease Pathogenesis

Provisionally accepted
  • 1 Department of Neonatology and NICU, Wenling Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Wenling, China
  • 2 Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Kawasaki disease (KD), an acute systemic vasculitis , primarilypredominantly affects children under five, and and is the leading cause of acquired heart disease in this age group. Recent studiesresearch propose has introduced a novel perspective on KD's etiology, emphasizing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, particularly the role of gut permeability. This review delves into how disruptions in gut barrier function trigger systemic inflammatory responses, exacerbate vascular inflammation, and contribute to coronary artery aneurysms. Evidence suggests that children with KD often exhibit increased gut permeability, leading to an imbalance in gut immunity and subsequent gut barrier damage. These changes impact vascular endothelial cells, promoting platelet aggregation and activation, thereby advancing severe vascular complications, including aneurysms. Additionally, this review highlights the correlation between GI symptoms and increased resistance to standard treatments like intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), indicating that GI involvement may predict therapeutic outcomes. Advocating for a new paradigm, this review calls for integrated research across gastroenterology, immunology, and cardiology to examine KD through the lens of GI health. The goal is to develop innovative therapeutic interventions targeting the intestinal barrier, potentially revolutionizing KD management and significantly improving patient outcomes.

    Keywords: kawasaki disease, Gut permeability, Systemic Vasculitis, Coronary artery aneurysms, intravenous immunoglobulin resistance, Platelet Activation, Gut Microbiota, short-chain fatty acids

    Received: 14 Sep 2024; Accepted: 08 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Tao and Lang. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Dandan Lang, Zhuhai People's Hospital (Zhuhai Clinical Medical College of Jinan University), Zhuhai, Guangdong Province, China

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.