The gut flora as a forgotten organ
Ann M O'Hara,Fergus Shanahan +1 more
TLDR
The flora has a collective metabolic activity equal to a virtual organ within an organ, and the mechanisms underlying the conditioning influence of the bacteria on mucosal homeostasis and immune responses are beginning to be unravelled.Abstract:
The intestinal microflora is a positive health asset that crucially influences the normal structural and functional development of the mucosal immune system. Mucosal immune responses to resident intestinal microflora require precise control and an immunosensory capacity for distinguishing commensal from pathogenic bacteria. In genetically susceptible individuals, some components of the flora can become a liability and contribute to the pathogenesis of various intestinal disorders, including inflammatory bowel diseases. It follows that manipulation of the flora to enhance the beneficial components represents a promising therapeutic strategy. The flora has a collective metabolic activity equal to a virtual organ within an organ, and the mechanisms underlying the conditioning influence of the bacteria on mucosal homeostasis and immune responses are beginning to be unravelled. An improved understanding of this hidden organ will reveal secrets that are relevant to human health and to several infectious, inflammatory and neoplastic disease processes.read more
Citations
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Journal ArticleDOI
The gut microbiota shapes intestinal immune responses during health and disease
TL;DR: Findings indicating that developmental aspects of the adaptive immune system are influenced by bacterial colonization of the gut are discussed, and the possibility that the mammalian immune system, which seems to be designed to control microorganisms, is in fact controlled by microorganisms is raised.
Journal ArticleDOI
Gut Microbiota in Health and Disease
TL;DR: The advances in modeling and analysis of gut microbiota will further the authors' knowledge of their role in health and disease, allowing customization of existing and future therapeutic and prophylactic modalities.
Journal ArticleDOI
Mind-altering microorganisms: the impact of the gut microbiota on brain and behaviour
John F. Cryan,Timothy G. Dinan +1 more
TL;DR: The emerging concept of a microbiota–gut–brain axis suggests that modulation of the gut microbiota may be a tractable strategy for developing novel therapeutics for complex CNS disorders.
Journal ArticleDOI
The impact of the gut microbiota on human health: an integrative view.
TL;DR: It is suggested that a holistic approach to studying the microbiota that goes beyond characterization of community composition and encompasses dynamic interactions between all components of the microbiota and host tissue over time will be crucial for building predictive models for diagnosis and treatment of diseases linked to imbalances in the microbiota.
Journal ArticleDOI
The gut microbiota — masters of host development and physiology
TL;DR: The gut microbiota has a beneficial role during normal homeostasis, modulating the host's immune system as well as influencing host development and physiology, including organ development and morphogenesis, and host metabolism.
References
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Fredrik Bäckhed,Hao Ding,Hao Ding,Ting Wang,Lora V. Hooper,Gou Young Koh,Andras Nagy,Clay F. Semenkovich,Jeffrey I. Gordon +8 more
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TL;DR: It is shown that commensal bacteria are recognized by TLRs under normal steady-state conditions, and this interaction plays a crucial role in the maintenance of intestinal epithelial homeostasis and protection from injury.
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TL;DR: During colonization of animals with the ubiquitous gut microorganism Bacteroides fragilis, a bacterial polysaccharide (PSA) directs the cellular and physical maturation of the developing immune system.
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