| Summary: | Ribosome-inactivating (ribotoxic) xenobiotics are capable of using cleavage and modification to damage 28S ribosomal RNA, which leads to translational arrest. The blockage of global protein synthesis predisposes rapidly dividing tissues, including gut epithelia, to damage from various pathogenic processes, including epithelial inflammation and carcinogenesis. In particular, mucosal exposure to ribotoxic stress triggers integrated processes that are important for barrier regulation and re-constitution to maintain gut homeostasis. In the present study, various experimental models of the mucosal barrier were evaluated for their response to acute and chronic exposure to ribotoxic agents. Specifically, this review focuses on the regulation of epithelial junctions, epithelial transporting systems, epithelial cytotoxicity, and compensatory responses to mucosal insults. The primary aim is to characterize the mechanisms associated with the intestinal epithelial responses induced by ribotoxic stress and to discuss the implications of ribotoxic stressors as chemical modulators of mucosa-associated diseases such as ulcerative colitis and epithelial cancers.
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