title: Sphingolipids as Mediators in the Crosstalk between Microbiota and Intestinal Cells: Implications for Inflammatory Bowel Disease.
abstract: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) describes different illnesses characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Although the pathogenic mechanisms leading to IBD are poorly understood, immune system disturbances likely underlie its development. Sphingolipids (SLs) have been identified as important players and promising therapeutic targets to control inflammation in IBD. Interestingly, it seems that microorganisms of the normal gut microbiota and probiotics are involved in sphingolipid function. However, there is a great need to investigate the role of SLs as intermediates in the crosstalk between intestinal immunity and microorganisms. This review focuses on recent investigations that describe some mechanisms involved in the regulation of cytokine profiles by SLs. We also describe the importance of gut microbiota in providing signaling molecules that favor the communication between resident bacteria and intestinal cells. This, in turn, modulates the immune response in the bowel and likely in other peripheral organs. The potential of SLs and gut microbiota as targets or therapeutic agents for IBD is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, 04530 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Phillips-Farfán
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Bryan
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, 04530 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Carvajal
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-5522-3266
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karla
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación en Inmunodeficiencias, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, 04530 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Medina-Torres
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Edgar Alejandro
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Investigación en Inmunodeficiencias, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, 04530 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Espinosa-Padilla
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Sara Elva
authors.affiliation: Research Unit on Bioactive Molecules, Department of Biomedicinal Chemistry, Institute for Advanced Chemistry of Catalonia (IQAC-CSIC), 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Fabrias
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gemma
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Nutrición Experimental, Instituto Nacional de Pediatría, 04530 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
authors.forename: Camacho
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9864-3738
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luz