Microbial-gut interactions in health and disease. Immune responses.
The indigenous bacterial microflora colonize the gut at birth and remain there throughout life. Approximately 10(14) bacteria are present in the ileum and colon and they are clearly immunogenic. The evidence is strong that the vast majority of IgA plasma cells in normal human gut are responding to the antigens of the flora, and although the flora is also responsible for producing the large numbers of T cells which are present in the gut of healthy individuals, the types of T cell response which the flora elicits are less well understood. A major challenge for the immune system is to distinguish between the antigens of the flora and the antigens of pathogens. There is also a growing realization that the normal flora can also influence gene expression in antigen-presenting cells in the gut and so set the context in which T cells respond to food antigen and vaccines.
Pickard
Karen M
KM
Division of Infection, Inflammation and Repair, University of Southampton School of Medicine, Mailpoint 813, Level E, South Block, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK.
Bremner
A Ronald
AR
Gordon
John N
JN
MacDonald
Thomas T
TT
D000818:Animals; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000276:immunology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology*; D051379:Mice; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology