microbiota
Host-Associated Microbial CommunitiesPresence of Gastric Pepsinogen in the Trachea Is Associated with Altered Inflammation and Microbial CompositionGastroesophageal reflux is a common gastrointestinal issue that can lead to aspiration and contribute to respiratory problems. Little is known about how reflux can alter the respiratory microenvironment. We aimed to determine if the presence of gastric pepsinogen in the trachea was associated with changes in the microbial and inflammatory microenvironment. A pediatric cohort at high risk of reflux aspiration was prospectively recruited...
Host-Associated Microbial CommunitiesNiche- and Gender-Dependent Immune Reactions in Relation to the Microbiota Profile in Pediatric Patients with Otitis Media with EffusionOtitis media with effusion (OME) is a common inflammatory disease that primarily affects children. OME is defined as a chronic low-grade inflammation of the middle ear (ME), without any signs of infection and with effusion persisting in the ME for more than 3 months. The precise pathogenesis is, however, not fully understood. Here, we comprehensively characterized and compared the host immune responses (inflammatory cells and mediators...
MinireviewFrom Nursery to Nursing Home: Emerging Concepts in Clostridioides difficile PathogenesisClostridioides difficile is a Gram-positive, spore-forming, anaerobic bacterium that infects the human gastrointestinal tract, causing a wide range of disorders that vary in severity from mild diarrhea to toxic megacolon and/or death. Over the past decade, incidence, severity, and costs associated with C....
MinireviewGut Epithelial Metabolism as a Key Driver of Intestinal Dysbiosis Associated with Noncommunicable DiseasesIn high-income countries, the leading causes of death are noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as obesity, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. An important feature of most NCDs is inflammation-induced gut dysbiosis characterized by a shift in the microbial community structure from obligate to facultative anaerobes such as Proteobacteria. This microbial imbalance can contribute to disease pathogenesis by either a depletion in...
Host Response and InflammationWhipworm Infection Promotes Bacterial Invasion, Intestinal Microbiota Imbalance, and Cellular ImmunomodulationInfections with Trichuris trichiura are among the most common causes of intestinal parasitism in children worldwide, and the diagnosis is based on microscopic egg identification in the chronic phase of the infection. During parasitism, the adult worm of the trichurid nematode maintains its anterior region inserted in the intestinal mucosa, which causes serious damage...
Host-Associated Microbial CommunitiesDysregulation of Intestinal Microbiota Elicited by Food Allergy Induces IgA-Mediated Oral DysbiosisFood allergy is a life-threatening response to specific foods, and microbiota imbalance (dysbiosis) in gut is considered a cause of this disease. Meanwhile, the host immune response also plays an important role in the disease. Notably, interleukin 33 (IL-33) released from damaged or necrotic intestinal epithelial cells facilitates IL-2-producing CD4 helper T (Th2) responses. However, causal relationships between the gut and oral...
Host Response and InflammationYersiniabactin-Producing Adherent/Invasive Escherichia coli Promotes Inflammation-Associated Fibrosis in Gnotobiotic Il10−/− MiceFibrosis is a significant complication of intestinal disorders associated with microbial dysbiosis and pathobiont expansion, notably Crohn’s disease (CD). Mechanisms that favor fibrosis are not well understood, and therapeutic strategies are limited. Here we demonstrate that colitis-susceptible Il10-deficient mice develop inflammation-associated fibrosis when monoassociated with adherent/invasive...
Microbial Immunity and VaccinesCommensal Microbes Affect Host Humoral Immunity to Bordetella pertussis InfectionAs important players in the host defense system, commensal microbes and the microbiota influence multiple aspects of host physiology. Bordetella pertussis infection is highly contagious among humans. However, the roles of the microbiota in B. pertussis pathogenesis are poorly understood. Here, we...
MinireviewTaming the Beast: Interplay between Gut Small Molecules and Enteric PathogensThe overuse of antibiotics has led to the evolution of drug-resistant bacteria that are becoming increasingly dangerous to human health. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic-resistant bacteria cause at least 2 million illnesses and 23,000 deaths in the United States annually. Traditionally, antibiotics are bactericidal or bacteriostatic agents that place selective pressure on bacteria, leading to the...
Host Response and InflammationSuppression of Obesity by an Intestinal Helminth through Interactions with Intestinal MicrobiotaObesity is increasingly causing lifestyle diseases in developed countries where helminthic infections are rarely seen. Here, we investigated whether an intestinal nematode, Heligmosomoides polygyrus, has a suppressive role in diet-induced obesity in mice.