The lumen of the gastrointestinal tract is home to an enormous quantity of different bacterial species that thrive in an often symbiotic relationship with the host. It is the principal source of microbial products because of its massive bacterial load. Injury to the immune component of the gastrointestinal mucosal surface, along with damage to the intestinal epithelial microenvironment with its...

Damage to the intestinal mucosa results in the translocation of microbes from the intestinal lumen into the circulation. Microbial translocation has been proposed to trigger immune activation, inflammation, and coagulopathy, all of which are key factors that drive HIV disease progression and non-HIV comorbidities; however, direct proof of a causal link is still lacking. Here, we have demonstrat...

Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) perform several physiological and metabolic functions at the barrier. IECs also play an important role in defining overall immune mucosal region. Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) on cell surface other cellular compartments enable them to sense presence of microbes microbial products intestinal lumen. are thus crossroads mediating a bidirectional interactio...

The canine intestinal tract harbors a highly complex microbial ecosystem. Various studies have reported changes in microbial communities in acute and chronic gastrointestinal diseases, especially in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and acute diarrhea. Most commonly observed are decreases in the bacterial phyla Firmicutes (i.e., Lachnospiraceae, Ruminococcaceae, Faecalibacterium) and Bacteroidet...

The trillions of microorganisms that reside in the gastrointestinal tract, essential for nutrient absorption, are kept under control by a single cell barrier and large amounts of immune cells. Intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) are critical in establishing an environment supporting microbial colonization and immunological tolerance. A large population of CD8+ T cells is in direct and constant c...

OBJECTIVE Intestinal proteases carry out a variety of functions in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Studies have reported that elevated enteric proteases in patients with GI disease can alter intestinal physiology, however the origin (human vs. microbial) of elevated proteases in patients with GI disease is unclear. AIM The aim of this study was to investigate the association between protease...

Alpha-ketoglutarate (AKG), a precursor of glutamate and a critical intermediate in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, shows beneficial effects on intestinal function. However, the influence of AKG on the intestinal innate immune system and intestinal microbiota is unknown. This study explores the effect of oral AKG administration in drinking water (10 g/L) on intestinal innate immunity and intestina...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by dysregulated immune responses to the intestinal microbiota, and by chronic intestinal inflammation. Several recent studies demonstrate the importance of innate microbial recognition by immune and nonimmune cells in the gut. Paradoxically, either diminished or exacerbated innate immune signaling may trigger the breakdown of intestinal homeosta...

Akkermansia muciniphila has evolved to specialize in the degradation and utilization of host mucus, which it may use as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Mucus degradation and fermentation by A. muciniphila are known to result in the liberation of oligosaccharides and subsequent production of acetate, which becomes directly available to microorganisms in the vicinity of the intestinal muc...