gut microbiome Archives

Nivolumab against lung cancer: How is the gut–lung axis involved?

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The study of the gut microbiome, which is the total of all the microbes living in the intestines, has been shown to not only play an important role in the health of the bowel itself, but also in the health of distant organs such as the lungs. Lung cancer is one of the diseases that is often difficult to treat […]

**Controlling Salmonella in the poultry gut: Diversity is key**

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Newborn chicks are especially susceptible to Salmonella.

When microorganisms that interact in a specific environment suppress the growth of pathogens, researchers call this ‘pathogen exclusion’. Salmonella is found in poultry intestines and can harm both the birds and humans. To control Salmonella growth, a balance between microorganisms that colonise the poultry gut is necessary. This involves complex interactions between microbes that we don’t yet fully understand. Dr Margie […]

The role of gut microflora in mucosal immunity

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Dr Gary Huffnagle has identified a number of intestinal microflora members which can regulate mucosal immunity in the gut microbiome

The microbiome is of recent interest in mucosal immunity. Dr Gary Huffnagle and colleagues at the University of Michigan have identified a variety of intestinal microflora members which can metabolically communicate with host cells and regulate mucosal immunity. Accumulating evidence suggests that various metabolites produced by hosts and microbiome members and their crosstalk are more important than previously thought. Understanding […]

Inflammatory bowel disease and epithelial barrier function

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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) occurs when the epithelial cells lining the gut become weakened, allowing gut microbes to activate immune cells. Gut barrier weakening can be caused by a loss of function of the PTPN2 gene. Professor Declan McCole of the University of California, Riverside and various collaborators have extensively researched the role of the epithelial barrier in IBD, the […]