Gut microbiota–host immune system interaction

The gut microbiota–host immune system interaction represents a complex network of molecular and cellular communications between the trillions of microbes inhabiting the gastrointestinal tract and the host’s innate and adaptive immune systems[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Gut microbes help train and mature immune cells (such as B cells and T cells); their metabolic products, such as short-chain fatty acids, modulate inflammation, influence immune cell differentiation, and help maintain the integrity of the intestinal barrier[2][3][4][5]. Disruption of this balance, known as dysbiosis, can predispose to a wide range of diseases including autoimmunity, infection, cancer, metabolic disorders, and neuropsychiatric conditions[4][5][6][7]. Therapeutic strategies such as probiotics, dietary modulation, antibiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation are being explored to restore health by targeting this system[4][5]. However, this is not a single molecule or receptor, but a broad, integrative therapeutic axis encompassing microbial, cellular, and molecular targets within the intestinal and immune ecosystems[1][2][3][4][5][6][7].

Other names

Gut microbiome / immune system crosstalkGut flora–immune interactionMicrobiota–immune axis

Mechanism of action involves restoration of microbial diversity; modulation of microbial metabolites (e.g., SCFAs production) to induce regulatory immune cells; suppression of inflammation through induction of Treg and Breg cells; inhibition of pathogen colonization via antimicrobial peptide induction, competition, and barrier effect; and altering cytokine profiles and immune signaling.