Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) is an emerging form of food allergy that exerts a significant clinical and financial burden worldwide. EoE is clinically characterized by eosinophil-rich inflammatory infiltrates in esophageal mucosa and esophageal dysfunction. Remodeling events in esophageal epithelium and lamina propria also frequently occur in patients with EoE. Because subepithelial fibrosis is associated with esophageal stricture, the most severe consequence of EoE, there exists an urgent need for a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms mediating fibrosis in EoE. Here, we review emerging evidence from experimental model systems that implicates crosstalk between esophageal epithelial cells and underlying stromal cells in EoE fibrosis. We further discuss implications for epithelial-stromal interaction with regard to EoE patient care and propose future directions that may be pursued to further the understanding of epithelial-stromal crosstalk in EoE pathobiology.

中文翻译：

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嗜酸粒细胞性食管炎中的上皮-成纤维细胞串扰

嗜酸性粒细胞性食管炎 (EoE) 是一种新兴的食物过敏形式，在全世界范围内造成重大的临床和经济负担。 EoE的临床特征是食管粘膜富含嗜酸性粒细胞的炎症浸润和食管功能障碍。 EoE 患者也经常发生食管上皮和固有层的重塑事件。由于上皮下纤维化与食管狭窄（EoE 最严重的后果）相关，因此迫切需要更深入地了解介导 EoE 纤维化的分子机制。在这里，我们回顾了来自实验模型系统的新证据，这些证据表明 EoE 纤维化中食管上皮细胞和底层基质细胞之间的串扰。我们进一步讨论了 EoE 患者护理中上皮-间质相互作用的影响，并提出了未来可能采取的方向，以进一步了解 EoE 病理学中的上皮-间质相互作用。