Pattern recognition receptors and gut microbiota (PRR-microbiota axis)

The interaction between host pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and the gut microbiota is a fundamental axis of the innate immune system and metabolic regulation. PRRs, including Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and NOD-like receptors (NLRs), are expressed by intestinal epithelial and immune cells to detect microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) like lipopolysaccharides and peptidoglycans (Belkaid & Hand, 2014, Science). This sensing mechanism is essential for maintaining the intestinal barrier, promoting immune tolerance, and preventing the overgrowth of pathogenic species (Round & Mazmanian, 2009, Nature Reviews Immunology). When this axis is disrupted, it can lead to chronic inflammatory conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), as well as metabolic diseases like obesity and type 2 diabetes (Thaiss et al., 2016, Nature). Therapeutic strategies targeting this system include the use of probiotics to alter microbial composition or small molecules that modulate specific PRR signaling to dampen inflammation (Mogensen, 2009, Clinical Microbiology Reviews). Understanding this complex interplay is vital for developing precision medicine approaches for gastrointestinal and systemic disorders.

Other names

Host-microbe interactionInnate immune sensing of microbiotaMAMP-PRR signalingCommensal-host crosstalkMicrobiota-immune axis

Modulation of innate immune signaling pathways, such as NF-kappaB and MAPK, through the recognition of microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) to maintain or restore host-microbe homeostasis.