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PMID: 22018232 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't Review

Role of the commensal microbiota in normal and pathogenic host immune responses.

Cell host & microbe ·Vol. 10 ·No. 4 ·2011-10-20 ·Pages 311-23

Littman DR, Pamer EG

Abstract

The commensal microbiota that inhabit different parts of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract have been shaped by coevolution with the host species. The symbiotic relationship of the hundreds of microbial species with the host requires a tuned response that prevents host damage, e.g., inflammation, while tolerating the presence of the potentially beneficial microbes. Recent studies have begun to shed light on immunological processes that participate in maintenance of homeostasis with the microbiota and on how disturbance of host immunity or the microbial ecosystem can result in disease-provoking dysbiosis. Our growing appreciation of this delicate host-microbe relationship promises to influence our understanding of inflammatory diseases and infection by microbial pathogens and to provide new therapeutic opportunities.

MeSH Terms
Animals Gastrointestinal Tract/immunology,microbiology Humans Metagenome/immunology,physiology Models, Biological Symbiosis
Authors & Affiliations
2 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Littman Dan R
Molecular Pathogenesis Program, The Kimmel Center for Biology and Medicine of the Skirball Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA. dan.littman@med.nyu.edu
Pamer Eric G
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Article Info
Journal
Cell host & microbe
Abbr.
Cell Host Microbe
ISSN
1934-6069
DOI
10.1016/j.chom.2011.10.004
Email
dan.littman@med.nyu.edu
Published
2011-10-20
Pages
311-23
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
101302316
PMCID
PMC3202012
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAMS NIH HHS · RC2 AR058986 · United States
NIAMS NIH HHS · RC2 AR058986-02 · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · R01 AI080619 · United States
NIAMS NIH HHS · R01 AR054817 · United States
Howard Hughes Medical Institute · United States
NIAID NIH HHS · R01 AI042135 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2011.10.004 PMC Full Text View journal details
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