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Review
. 2024 Aug 6:15:1417864.
doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1417864. eCollection 2024.

The microbiota: a crucial mediator in gut homeostasis and colonization resistance

Yiding Chen #  1 , Ling Xiao #  1 , Min Zhou  1 , Hu Zhang  1   2   3
Affiliations
Review

The microbiota: a crucial mediator in gut homeostasis and colonization resistance

Yiding Chen et al. Front Microbiol. .

Abstract

The gut microbiota is a complex and diverse community of microorganisms that colonizes the human gastrointestinal tract and influences various aspects of human health. These microbes are closely related to enteric infections. As a foreign entity for the host, commensal microbiota is restricted and regulated by the barrier and immune system in the gut and contributes to gut homeostasis. Commensals also effectively resist the colonization of pathogens and the overgrowth of indigenous pathobionts by utilizing a variety of mechanisms, while pathogens have developed strategies to subvert colonization resistance. Dysbiosis of the microbial community can lead to enteric infections. The microbiota acts as a pivotal mediator in establishing a harmonious mutualistic symbiosis with the host and shielding the host against pathogens. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms underlying host-microbiome and microbiome-pathogen interactions, highlighting the multi-faceted roles of the gut microbiota in preventing enteric infections. We also discuss the applications of manipulating the microbiota to treat infectious diseases in the gut.

Keywords: colonization resistance; enteric infections; gut homeostasis; microbiota; mucosal immunity.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The microbiota acts as a vital mediator in the host-microbiome and microbiome-pathogen interactions. Commensal microbiota interacts with the barrier and immune system in the gut, while it also effectively resists pathogen colonization and overgrowth of indigenous pathobionts. The dysbiosis may lead to enteric infection.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Host-microbiome interaction in the gut. (A) In the small intestine, chemical barriers mainly contribute to separating the gut microbiota and intestinal epithelial cells. Immune cells in the lamina propria regulate the generation of these chemical barriers. In the large intestine, the mucous layer and cell junctions hamper pathogen invasion in the gut. (B) The host immunity can recognize and respond to the presence of gut microbiota. This interaction involves various immune cells and cytokines, and the commensal microorganisms and their metabolites can impact the development and function of mucosal immunity.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Microbiome-pathogen interaction in the gut. (A) Symbiotic microbiota can exert the effect of colonization resistance through altering the resource and environment in the gut, producing antagonistic compounds, and reinforcing the barrier and immune system. (B) Pathogens develop counterstrategies including disrupting the microbiota, exploiting nutrients and metabolites, and harnessing intestinal inflammation to break the defense from the microbiota and host.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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