Plain language summary
The mammalian intestine plays host to a vast microbiota, which is essential for the development and maintenance of the host’s immune system. This highly technical review highlights the results of recent studies on the effects and cellular and molecular mechanisms of the intestinal microbiota, and their metabolites and signals, on the development of intestinal immune cells and their functions. When the balance of the microbiota and their effects on intestinal immunity is disrupted (dysbiosis) this can lead to chronic local and systemic inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. The authors conclude that identifying microorganisms and their metabolites that can affect immunity, and the underlying mechanisms, is crucial for the development of microbiota based therapeutics.
Abstract
The mammalian intestine harbors a remarkable number of microbes and their components and metabolites, which are fundamental for the instigation and development of the host immune system. The intestinal innate and adaptive immunity coordinate and interact with the symbionts contributing to the intestinal homeostasis through establishment of a mutually beneficial relationship by tolerating to symbiotic microbiota and retaining the ability to exert proinflammatory response towards invasive pathogens. Imbalance between the intestinal immune system and commensal organisms disrupts the intestinal microbiological homeostasis, leading to microbiota dysbiosis, compromised integrity of the intestinal barrier, and proinflammatory immune responses towards symbionts. This, in turn, exacerbates the degree of the imbalance. Intestinal adaptive immunity plays a critical role in maintaining immune tolerance towards symbionts and the integrity of intestinal barrier, while the innate immune system regulates the adaptive immune responses to intestinal commensal bacteria. In this review, we will summarize recent findings on the effects and mechanisms of gut microbiota on intestinal adaptive immunity and the plasticity of several immune cells under diverse microenvironmental settings.
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