Article
Microbiology
Ana Montalban-Arques, Egle Katkeviciute, Philipp Busenhart, Anna Bircher, Jakob Wirbel, Georg Zeller, Yasser Morsy, Lubor Borsig, Jesus F. Glaus Garzon, Anne Mueller, Isabelle C. Arnold, Mariela Artola-Boran, Michael Krauthammer, Anna Sintsova, Nicola Zamboni, Gabriel E. Leventhal, Laura Berchtold, Tomas de Wouters, Gerhard Rogler, Katharina Baebler, Marlene Schwarzfischer, Larissa Hering, Ivan Olivares-Rivas, Kirstin Atrott, Claudia Gottier, Silvia Lang, Onur Boyman, Ralph Fritsch, Markus G. Manz, Marianne R. Spalinger, Michael Scharl
Summary: Despite the overall success of T cell checkpoint inhibitors in cancer treatment, research has found that certain commensal species of gut microbiota associated with lower tumor burden and are significantly reduced in CRC patients. Oral application of specific Clostridiales strains can prevent and even treat CRC successfully in mouse models, outperforming anti-PD-1 therapy in some cases. This indicates the potential of gut bacteria as a novel stand-alone therapy against solid tumors.
CELL HOST & MICROBE
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Yongyan Chen, Wenwen Cui, Xiao Li, Huan Yang
Summary: In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), damage to intestinal cells leads to commensal bacteria becoming pathogenic, triggering immune responses and inflammation. However, the inflammation also contributes to the progression of IBD.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Geil R. Merana, Laura R. Dwyer, Miqdad O. Dhariwala, Antonin Weckel, Jeanmarie R. Gonzalez, Joy N. Okoro, Jarish N. Cohen, Courtney M. Tamaki, Jungmin Han, Preston Tasoff, Yasmin Palacios-Calderon, Connie W. Y. Ha, Susan Lynch, Julia A. Segre, Heidi H. Kong, Michael G. Kattah, Averil Ma, Tiffany C. Scharschmidt
Summary: This study reveals that gut inflammation can disrupt the response of the skin to commensal bacteria, leading to an association between skin inflammation and intestinal diseases.
Review
Immunology
Wanhai Qin, Brendon P. Scicluna, Tom van der Poll
Summary: DNA methylation plays a key role in the immune response to bacteria by regulating gene expression. Despite being traditionally considered a stable modification, accumulating evidence suggests that DNA methylation patterns can change rapidly in response to different environments and pathogens. Proteins regulating DNA methylation, such as DNA methyltransferases and ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenases, may also be modulated by bacteria during infection.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Joel Johnson George, Mikko Oittinen, Laura Martin-Diaz, Veronika Zapilko, Sharif Iqbal, Terhi Rintakangas, Fabio Tadeu Arrojo Martins, Henri Niskanen, Pekka Katajisto, Minna U. Kaikkonen, Keijo Viiri
Summary: This study showed that PRC2 regulates a significant set of genes in M cells, including Esrrg, which plays a critical role in the development and differentiation of M cells. Loss of Esrrg leads to an immature M-cell phenotype lacking in Sox8 and Gp2 expression.
CELLULAR AND MOLECULAR GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Alex C. McPherson, Surya P. Pandey, Mackenzie J. Bender, Marlies Meisel
Summary: The gut microbiota plays a crucial role in systemic immunity during homeostasis and certain complex diseases, influencing immune responses through translocation. Bacterial translocation is emerging as a key player in immunomodulatory processes in non-gastrointestinal diseases.
TRENDS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Yang Li, Shanshan Yang, Xin Huang, Ning Yang, Caiying Wang, Jing Zhao, Zhizhong Jing, Luc Willems, Guangliang Liu
Summary: This study reveals that MyD88 plays a crucial role in the differentiation of M cells related to colitis and RANKL. The expression levels of M cell differentiation-related genes were significantly lower in MyD88(-/-) mice compared to wild-type, indicating the importance of MyD88 in this process.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Joel Johnson George, Laura Martin-Diaz, Markus J. T. Ojanen, Rosa Gasa, Marko Pesu, Keijo Viiri
Summary: Intestinal microfold cells (M cells) play a crucial role in initiating mucosal immunity by uptaking and transcytosing microorganisms, pathogens, and antigens in the gastrointestinal tract. Atoh8 is identified as a key regulator of M cell differentiation, with its absence leading to an increase in mature M cell population.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Cyril Planchais, Luis M. Molinos-Albert, Pierre Rosenbaum, Thierry Hieu, Alexia Kanyavuz, Dominique Clermont, Thierry Prazuck, Laurent Lefrou, Jordan D. Dimitrov, Sophie Hue, Laurent Hocqueloux, Hugo Mouquet
Summary: The timing of antiretroviral therapy affects the repertoire of intestinal memory B cells and plasmablasts in HIV-1-infected individuals. Early treatment reduces the abnormal expression of class-switched memory B cells, while late-treated individuals show increased polyreactivity to commensal bacteria in both intestinal B cells and serum IgA. These abnormalities correlate with intestinal permeability and systemic inflammation markers.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Aline Sardinha-Silva, Eliza V. C. Alves-Ferreira, Michael E. E. Grigg
Summary: The intestinal and mucosal immunity play a crucial role in maintaining the balance between the host and the external environment. Understanding the immune response induced by protozoa is important for studying immunological tolerance, protection, and pathogenesis.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
James E. Norton, Sushma Kommineni, Patricia Akrivoulis, Dario A. Gutierrez, Daria J. Hazuda, Gokul Swaminathan
Summary: Mounting evidence suggests the critical role of microbiome in training and maturation of host immune system, with microbiome perturbation correlated with sub-optimal host responses to vaccines and cancer immunotherapy. This study demonstrates the ability of primary human immune cells to stratify and differentiate different strains of commensal bacteria, using both in vitro and ex vivo culture systems. The findings suggest that these primary systems are robust and enable identification of commensal bacteria as potential modulators of host immunity.
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Jacob McCright, Ann Ramirez, Mayowa Amosu, Arnav Sinha, Amanda Bogseth, Katharina Maisel
Summary: This article discusses strategies using nanomaterials to locally target the GI tract and its mucosal immune system to regulate inflammation and disease outcomes.
Article
Microbiology
Divyashri Baraniya, Kumaraswamy Naidu Chitrala, Nezar Noor Al-Hebshi
Summary: This study explores the role of health-associated oral bacteria in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell lines. The results show that different species of bacteria have varying effects on the cell lines, including inhibition of cancer-associated pathways, activation of acute phase response, and pro-inflammatory pathways. These findings provide a new understanding of oral cancer.
JOURNAL OF ORAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Chufeng Zhang, Jixin Wang, Zhongwen Sun, Yufeng Cao, Zhengshuai Mu, Xuming Ji
Summary: The study examined the microbiota in stool and sputum samples of metastatic NSCLC patients receiving immunotherapy, finding distinct signatures between gut and respiratory microbiota, with gut microbiota diversity associated with the response to anti-PD-1 treatment. Higher gut microbiota diversity indicated better response and longer progression-free survival, suggesting a potential predictive value. Analysis of responders and nonresponders showed differences in microbial composition, with Streptococcus abundance positively correlated with CD8(+) T cells, highlighting a relationship between microbiota and immunotherapy response in NSCLC patients. Gut and respiratory microbiota are promising biomarkers for screening suitable candidates for immune checkpoint inhibitor-based immunotherapy.
Article
Oncology
Tingting Huang, Justine W. Debelius, Alexander Ploner, Xiling Xiao, Tingting Zhang, Kai Hu, Zhe Zhang, Rensheng Wang, Weimin Ye
Summary: This study investigated the changes in the nasopharyngeal microbiome among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma during radiation therapy and found stable temporal changes. It provided preliminary evidence of an association between the microbiome changes and short-term clinical outcomes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY BIOLOGY PHYSICS
(2021)
Review
Food Science & Technology
Vanessa Las Heras, Silvia Melgar, John MacSharry, Cormac G. M. Gahan
Summary: Diet plays a significant role in influencing host immune function and the gastrointestinal microbiota, particularly in the context of obesity, metabolic disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and infection.
ANNUAL REVIEW OF FOOD SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Eoghan Casey, Brian McDonnell, Kelsey White, Panagiota Stamou, Tadhg Crowley, Ian O'Neill, Katherine Lavelle, Stephen Hayes, Gabriele A. Lugli, Silvia Arboleya, Kieran James, Marco Ventura, Ines Martinez, Miguel Gueimonde, Fabio dal Bello, Ken Nally, Jennifer Mahony, Douwe van Sinderen
Summary: This study describes a method that exploits the interaction between specific phage receptor binding proteins (RBPs) and host cell surface receptors to isolate phage-host combinations from environmental samples.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Sreeram Udayan, Panagiota Stamou, Fiona Crispie, Ana Hickey, Alexandria N. Floyd, Chyi-Song Hsieh, Paul D. Cotter, Orla O'Sullivan, Silvia Melgar, Paul W. O'Toole, Rodney D. Newberry, Valerio Rossini, Ken Nally
Summary: The study found that certain gut bacteria can disseminate to systemic tissues, and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus johnsonii in intestinal tissues is increased in mice with Myd88-dependent innate immune sensor pathway deficiency. L. johnsonii was frequently detected in multiple systemic tissues, indicating its potential role as a murine immunomodulatory endosymbiont.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Brian Healey Bird, Ken Nally, Karine Ronan, Gerard Clarke, Sylvie Amu, Ana S. Almeida, Richard Flavin, Stephen Finn
Summary: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have changed the way cancer is treated but their effectiveness is limited and they can cause autoimmune side effects. Existing biomarkers are not sensitive or specific. This review discusses emerging tumor and immune tissue biomarkers and the impact of the gut microbiome on treatment outcomes.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Susan Giblin, Paul Scully, Julie Evers, Niall Dalton, Grainne Hayes, Alan Donnelly, O. Orla Neylon, Clodagh O'Gorman
Summary: This study examined the habitual physical activity patterns in children with Type 1 diabetes. The results showed that these children are not meeting the recommended daily step count for maintaining physical health, with females achieving significantly fewer steps than males. Moreover, a higher proportion of females were identified as overweight or obese, and both genders had HbA1c levels above the recommended standard. Further research is needed to promote physical activity in pediatric populations with Type 1 diabetes.
JOURNAL OF DIABETES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Peter Flood, Aine Fanning, Jerzy A. Woznicki, Tadhg Crowley, Andrea Christopher, Alessandra Vaccaro, Aileen Houston, Sheila McSweeney, Sarah Ross, Aileen Hogan, Elizabeth Brint, Agnieszka Skowyra, Milan Bustamante, Monica Ambrose, Gerard Moloney, John MacSharry, Marie-Louise Hammarstrom, Margot Hurley, Christine Fitzgibbons, Eamonn M. M. Quigley, Fergus Shanahan, Syed A. Zulquernain, Jane McCarthy, G. Steven Dodson, Karim Dabbagh, Bradford L. McRae, Silvia Melgar, Ken Nally
Summary: The DNA sensor pathways play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis (UC), and are associated with the overactivation of inflammasome and type I interferon (IFN) signaling pathways. Furthermore, the study discovered that the combination of type I IFN (IFN-beta) and TNF-alpha can induce JAK-dependent inflammatory cell death in colonic organoids, independent of the inflammasome.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-GASTROINTESTINAL AND LIVER PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Allergy
Nonhlanhla Lunjani, Laura J. Walsh, Carina Venter, Matthew Power, John MacSharry, Desmond M. Murphy, Liam O'Mahony
Summary: Early life dietary patterns and maturation of mucosa-associated microbial communities play important roles in immune development and tolerance. Microbial fermentation of dietary components regulates immune and metabolic functions, protecting against inflammation and promoting effective immune responses. Changes in diet, microbiome composition, and metabolism are associated with asthma risk and severity. Targeted manipulation of the gut microbiome and its metabolic functions through diet has potential for promoting immune health in children with asthma.
PEDIATRIC ALLERGY AND IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Maria A. Nunez-Sanchez, Florence M. Herisson, Jonathan M. Keane, Natalia Garcia-Gonzalez, Valerio Rossini, Jorge Pinhiero, Jack Daly, Milan Bustamante-Garrido, Cara M. Hueston, Shriram Patel, Nuria Canela, Pol Herrero, Marcus J. Claesson, Silvia Melgar, Ken Nally, Noel M. Caplice, Cormac G. M. Gahan
Summary: Research has found that the activity of microbial bile salt hydrolase (BSH) potentially influences bacterial colonization and promotes infant gut development. This study is of great significance for understanding the mechanisms by which early microbial colonizers affect gut development.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Raminder Singh, Valerio Rossini, Stephen R. Stockdale, Gonzalo Saiz-Gonzalo, Naomi Hanrahan, Tanya D' Souza, Adam Clooney, Lorraine A. Draper, Colin Hill, Ken Nally, Fergus Shanahan, Stefan Andersson-Engels, Silvia Melgar
Summary: Conflicting evidence exists regarding the association between NSAID consumption and worsening of IBD symptoms. The prevalence of pathobionts, such as AIEC, may explain this inconsistency. In IL10(-/-) mice, we found that NSAID aggravated colitis in AIEC-colonized animals and activated the NLRP3 inflammasome and Caspase-8. Inhibition of NLRP3 or Caspase-8 activity improved colitis and increased abundance of beneficial bacteria.
Letter
Critical Care Medicine
Chris Ward, Hafez Al Momani, Melissa J. McDonnell, Desmond M. Murphy, Laura Walsh, John Mac Sharry, Mike Griffin, Ian A. Forrest, Rhys Jones, Amaran Krishnan, Jeffrey Pearson, Robert M. Rutherford
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Carmina Angelica Perez-Romero, Lucero Mendoza-Maldonado, Alberto Tonda, Etienne Coz, Patrick Tabeling, Jessica Vanhomwegen, John MacSharry, Joanna Szafran, Lucina Bobadilla-Morales, Alfredo Corona-Rivera, Eric Claassen, Johan Garssen, Aletta D. Kraneveld, Alejandro Lopez-Rincon
Summary: As the COVID-19 pandemic calms down, there is growing concern about the possibility of future pandemics. The ability to quickly and accurately detect virus variants is crucial in mitigating the spread. Using an automated pipeline based on evolutionary algorithms, researchers have developed highly specific molecular tests for the main SARS-CoV-2 lineage and its variants. Preliminary validation shows promising results.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Review
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Maria Esteban-Torres, Lorena Ruiz, Valerio Rossini, Ken Nally, Douwe van Sinderen
Summary: The human gut microbiota plays a crucial role in host metabolism and physiology, impacting host health in various ways. This complex microbial community has developed metabolic strategies to survive and thrive in the gut environment. Glycogen accumulation, specifically in gut commensals, has been associated with important physiological functions, and understanding its role can provide insights into the composition and functionality of the gut microbiota.
Meeting Abstract
Critical Care Medicine
L. Walsh, A. O'Sullivan, J. MacSharry, D. M. Murphy
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF RESPIRATORY AND CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Eoghan Casey, Brian McDonnell, Kelsey White, Panagiota Stamou, Tadhg Crowley, Ian O'Neill, Katherine Lavelle, Stephen Hayes, Gabriele A. Lugli, Silvia Arboleya, Kieran James, Marco Ventura, Ines Martinez, Miguel Gueimonde, Fabio dal Bello, Ken Nally, Jennifer Mahony, Douwe van Sinderen
Summary: PhRACS aims to bridge the current gap between in silico genetic analyses (i.e., phageomic studies) and traditional culture-based methodology. By tagging specific bacterial hosts with fluorescently labeled recombinant phage receptor binding proteins and isolating tagged cells using flow cytometry, PhRACS allows the full potential of phageomic data to be realized in the wet laboratory.