title: Correlation between early-life regulation of the immune system by microbiota and allergy development.
abstract: Early postnatal life is a key time for development of the immune system and colonization of the host by microbiota. Recent studies have shown that specific limbs of the immune system can be regulated by microbiota in a time-restricted period during early life. Studies in mouse models have shown that perturbations of the microbiota during early life can cause immune effects that can persist into adulthood and create increased host susceptibility to certain diseases. Here we discuss the role of early-life regulation of the immune system by the microbiota and how it can be related to allergy development.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gensollen
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Endoscopy, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass. Electronic address: rblumberg@bwh.harvard.edu.
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Blumberg
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006967:Hypersensitivity / Q000276:immunology / Q000382:microbiology*; D007107:Immune System / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000382:microbiology*; D051379:Mice; D064307:Microbiota / Q000276:immunology*; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000276:immunology* / Q000382:microbiology*
keywords: Allergy; early-life; microbiota; neonate; window of opportunity