Bacterial-modulated host immunity and stem cell activation for gut homeostasis.
Although it is widely accepted that dynamic cross-talk between gut epithelia and microorganisms must occur to achieve gut homeostasis, the critical mechanisms by which gut-microbe interactions are regulated remain uncertain. In this issue of Genes & Development, Buchon and colleagues (pp. 2333-2344) revealed that the reaction of the gut to microorganisms is not restricted to activating immune systems, but extends to integrated responses essential for gut tissue homeostasis, including self-renewal and the differentiation of stem cells. Further investigation of the connection between immune response and stem cell regulation at the molecular level in the microbe-laden mucosal epithelia will accelerate our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of gut homeostasis and of the pathogenesis of diseases such as chronic inflammatory diseases and colorectal cancers.
Division of Life and Pharmaceutical Science, Department of Life Science, Ewha Woman's University, and National Creative Research Initiative Center for Symbiosystem, Seoul 120-750, South Korea. lwj@ewha.ac.kr
Won-Jae
WJ
Lee
D000818:Animals; D001419:Bacteria / Q000276:immunology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D029721:Drosophila Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology; D054884:Host-Pathogen Interactions / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology; D053612:Janus Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D019255:NADPH Oxidases / Q000378:metabolism; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D051880:Receptors, Notch / Q000378:metabolism; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000201:enzymology
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; C497759:N protein, Drosophila; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051880:Receptors, Notch; D050791:STAT Transcription Factors; D019255:NADPH Oxidases; D053612:Janus Kinases