Gut Microbiota, Immunity, and Disease: a Complex Relationship

Overview

Journal Front Microbiol

Specialty Microbiology

Date 2011 Sep 17

PMID 21922015

Citations 91

Authors

Michele M Kosiewicz

Arin L Zirnheld

Pascale Alard

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Our immune system has evolved to recognize and eradicate pathogenic microbes. However, we have a symbiotic relationship with multiple species of bacteria that occupy the gut and comprise the natural commensal flora or microbiota. The microbiota is critically important for the breakdown of nutrients, and also assists in preventing colonization by potentially pathogenic bacteria. In addition, the gut commensal bacteria appear to be critical for the development of an optimally functioning immune system. Various studies have shown that individual species of the microbiota can induce very different types of immune cells (e.g., Th17 cells, Foxp3(+) regulatory T cells) and responses, suggesting that the composition of the microbiota can have an important influence on the immune response. Although the microbiota resides in the gut, it appears to have a significant impact on the systemic immune response. Indeed, specific gut commensal bacteria have been shown to affect disease development in organs other than the gut, and depending on the species, have been found to have a wide range of effects on diseases from induction and exacerbation to inhibition and protection. In this review, we will focus on the role that the gut microbiota plays in the development and progression of inflammatory/autoimmune disease, and we will also touch upon its role in allergy and cancer.

Citing Articles

Oral administration of Limosilactobacillus reuteri VHProbi® M07 alleviates ovalbumin-induced allergic asthma in mice.

Meng G, Cui H, Feng C, Guo C, Song L, Duan Z PLoS One. 2025; 20(1):e0317587.

PMID: 39820222 PMC: 11737801. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0317587.

Ingesting Significantly Impacts the Gastrointestinal Tract Bacterial Community and Diversity in Plateau Zokors ().

Guo J, Wang H, Jiang F, Liu D Microorganisms. 2024; 12(11).

PMID: 39597571 PMC: 11596747. DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12112182.

Comparative time-series analyses of gut microbiome profiles in genetically and chemically induced lupus-prone mice and the impacts of fecal transplantation.

Chatthanathon P, Leelahavanichkul A, Cheibchalard T, Wilantho A, Hirankarn N, Somboonna N Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):26371.

PMID: 39487198 PMC: 11530527. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-77672-4.

The Role of Probiotics as an Adjunctive Therapy in Psoriasis.

Gilli I, da Silva G, Mendes V, Duarte M, Tanaka A J Psoriasis Psoriatic Arthritis. 2024; 8(2):49-55.

PMID: 39296673 PMC: 11361490. DOI: 10.1177/24755303221142296.

Metabolic immaturity and breastmilk bile acid metabolites are central determinants of heightened newborn vulnerability to norovirus diarrhea.

Peiper A, Morales Aparicio J, Hu Z, Phophi L, Helm E, Rubinstein R Cell Host Microbe. 2024; 32(9):1488-1501.e5.

PMID: 39214086 PMC: 11392616. DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2024.08.003.

References

Sokol H, Seksik P, Furet J, Firmesse O, Nion-Larmurier I, Beaugerie L . Low counts of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii in colitis microbiota. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2009; 15(8):1183-9. DOI: 10.1002/ibd.20903. View

El-Behi M, Ciric B, Dai H, Yan Y, Cullimore M, Safavi F . The encephalitogenicity of T(H)17 cells is dependent on IL-1- and IL-23-induced production of the cytokine GM-CSF. Nat Immunol. 2011; 12(6):568-75. PMC: 3116521. DOI: 10.1038/ni.2031. View

Ishikawa H, Tanaka K, Maeda Y, Aiba Y, Hata A, Tsuji N . Effect of intestinal microbiota on the induction of regulatory CD25+ CD4+ T cells. Clin Exp Immunol. 2008; 153(1):127-35. PMC: 2432106. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2008.03668.x. View

Kirjavainen P, Apostolou E, Arvola T, Salminen S, Gibson G, Isolauri E . Characterizing the composition of intestinal microflora as a prospective treatment target in infant allergic disease. FEMS Immunol Med Microbiol. 2001; 32(1):1-7. DOI: 10.1111/j.1574-695X.2001.tb00526.x. View

Buljevac D, van Doornum G, Flach H, Groen J, Osterhaus A, Hop W . Epstein-Barr virus and disease activity in multiple sclerosis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 2005; 76(10):1377-81. PMC: 1739347. DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.2004.048504. View

Goldin B, Gualtieri L, Moore R . The effect of Lactobacillus GG on the initiation and promotion of DMH-induced intestinal tumors in the rat. Nutr Cancer. 1996; 25(2):197-204. DOI: 10.1080/01635589609514442. View

Kampman E, Goldbohm R, van den Brandt P, van t Veer P . Fermented dairy products, calcium, and colorectal cancer in The Netherlands Cohort Study. Cancer Res. 1994; 54(12):3186-90. View

Onderdonk A, Steeves R, Cisneros R, Bronson R . Adoptive transfer of immune enhancement of experimental ulcerative colitis. Infect Immun. 1984; 46(1):64-7. PMC: 261421. DOI: 10.1128/iai.46.1.64-67.1984. View

Ivanov I, de Llanos Frutos R, Manel N, Yoshinaga K, Rifkin D, Sartor R . Specific microbiota direct the differentiation of IL-17-producing T-helper cells in the mucosa of the small intestine. Cell Host Microbe. 2008; 4(4):337-49. PMC: 2597589. DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2008.09.009. View

10.

Kampman E, van t Veer P, Hiddink G, Kok F, Hermus R . Fermented dairy products, dietary calcium and colon cancer: a case-control study in The Netherlands. Int J Cancer. 1994; 59(2):170-6. DOI: 10.1002/ijc.2910590205. View

11.

Gaboriau-Routhiau V, Rakotobe S, Lecuyer E, Mulder I, Lan A, Bridonneau C . The key role of segmented filamentous bacteria in the coordinated maturation of gut helper T cell responses. Immunity. 2009; 31(4):677-89. DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2009.08.020. View

12.

Noverr M, Huffnagle G . The 'microflora hypothesis' of allergic diseases. Clin Exp Allergy. 2006; 35(12):1511-20. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2005.02379.x. View

13.

Macpherson A, Harris N . Interactions between commensal intestinal bacteria and the immune system. Nat Rev Immunol. 2004; 4(6):478-85. DOI: 10.1038/nri1373. View

14.

Hill D, Hoffmann C, Abt M, Du Y, Kobuley D, Kirn T . Metagenomic analyses reveal antibiotic-induced temporal and spatial changes in intestinal microbiota with associated alterations in immune cell homeostasis. Mucosal Immunol. 2009; 3(2):148-58. PMC: 2824244. DOI: 10.1038/mi.2009.132. View

15.

Bingham S . Diet and colorectal cancer prevention. Biochem Soc Trans. 2000; 28(2):12-6. DOI: 10.1042/bst0280012. View

16.

Lavasani S, Dzhambazov B, Nouri M, Fak F, Buske S, Molin G . A novel probiotic mixture exerts a therapeutic effect on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis mediated by IL-10 producing regulatory T cells. PLoS One. 2010; 5(2):e9009. PMC: 2814855. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0009009. View

17.

Hopkins M, Macfarlane G, Furrie E, Fite A, Macfarlane S . Characterisation of intestinal bacteria in infant stools using real-time PCR and northern hybridisation analyses. FEMS Microbiol Ecol. 2005; 54(1):77-85. DOI: 10.1016/j.femsec.2005.03.001. View

18.

Lyons A, OMahony D, OBrien F, MacSharry J, Sheil B, Ceddia M . Bacterial strain-specific induction of Foxp3+ T regulatory cells is protective in murine allergy models. Clin Exp Allergy. 2010; 40(5):811-9. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2222.2009.03437.x. View

19.

Ley R, Hamady M, Lozupone C, Turnbaugh P, Ramey R, Bircher J . Evolution of mammals and their gut microbes. Science. 2008; 320(5883):1647-51. PMC: 2649005. DOI: 10.1126/science.1155725. View

20.

Noverr M, Noggle R, Toews G, Huffnagle G . Role of antibiotics and fungal microbiota in driving pulmonary allergic responses. Infect Immun. 2004; 72(9):4996-5003. PMC: 517468. DOI: 10.1128/IAI.72.9.4996-5003.2004. View