Gut microbes: Frenemies and BFFs in inflammatory bowel disease

[Waverunner]

I know I say this nearly all the time, but this video is very interesting. What I found especially interesting was the fact, that gut bacteria, if not provided with food (e.g. one skips a meal), can turn on genes, that let them eat mucus. The mucus in our gut however, is necessary for correct barrier function and the prevention of allergies. Therefore skipping a meal, could have detrimental effects.

Uploaded in July 2012.

"The digestive tract is home to a vast community of bacteria, many of which help to keep us healthy. In some people, the interactions between their own gut bacteria and their immune system are not always peaceful. Their immune systems' reactions to bacteria in the digestive tract result in chronic inflammation and lead to inflammatory bowel disease. In this 2011 Midsummer Nights' Science lecture, Wendy Garrett discusses inflammatory bowel disease, gut microbial communities, and current scientific efforts to understand the role of gut bacteria in this disease.

-Human Microbiome Project (http://www.broadinstitute.org/node/804/)
-Broad news story (http://www.broadinstitute.org/node/4199/)
-Education (http://www.broadinstitute.org/node/635/)
-Broad Institute Midsummer Nights' Science series (http://www.broadinstitute.org/midsummer)"

 

[dece]

Hi Waverunner and all, I just watched the lecture and found it interesting indeed.

I googled one of the researchers she mentions at the end (q&a section) and that led me to this (imo) interesting paper:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3298082/

Thanks for the link!

 

[Waverunner]

Dece, thanks for posting this. At the end of the study they say:

"Aspirational goals include identifying new host and microbial biomarkers and mediators of nutritional status, the nutritional value of various foods, the functioning of the human adaptive/innate immune system (including mucosal barrier integrity and mucosal immunity), and the dynamic operations of the microbiota."

It's good to see, that gut integrity has become an important part of research.