Intestinal Microbiota & Host Immune System

The intestinal microbiota comprises trillions of commensal microorganisms residing in the gastrointestinal tract, intricately interacting with the host immune system. These interactions are essential for immune system development, immune homeostasis, defense against pathogens, the regulation of inflammation, and the training of both innate and adaptive immunity. Microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids significantly influence the differentiation and activity of immune cells. Disruption of the microbiota-immune axis has been implicated in a wide range of diseases, including inflammatory bowel diseases, infections, autoimmune disorders, and metabolic syndromes. While this axis is a critical determinant of human health, it cannot be defined as a single druggable target in the conventional sense and represents an area of complex, multi-component biology.

Other names

Gut microbiota and host immunityMicrobiome-immune axisMicrobiota-immune interactions

Modulation of microbiota composition (e.g., by probiotics or antibiotics); Induction of microbial metabolite production; Enhancement or suppression of immune pathways via microbial products (e.g., short-chain fatty acids, tryptophan metabolites); Immune cell education and maturation via exposure to microbial antigens