The human gut is the natural habitat for a large and dynamic bacterial community, but a substantial part of these bacterial populations are still to be described. However, the relevance and effect of resident bacteria on a host's physiology and pathology has been well documented. Major functions of the gut microflora include metabolic activities that result in salvage of energy and absorbable n...

The present study combines the theory and the experimental data to predict the changes on intestinal bacterial populations during ingestion of beneficial probiotic bacteria. Our proposed model is a modified version of the LotkaVolterra model, which takes the probiotic administration into account. Using the linear stability analysis of the model, the conditions for coexistence of the probiotics ...

Abstract We have developed an innate immune model of colitis that occurs in the absence adaptive immunity, is early-onset, 100% penetrant, chronic, and dependent on microbes. villin-TNFAIP3 transgenic mice, crossed to RAG1-/- mice (aka TRAG mice) develop immune-mediated not observed or littermates. Antibiotic treatment prevents mice. Thus, we sought investigate microbes drive chronic immunity. ...

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been attributed to overexuberant host immunity or the emergence of harmful intestinal flora. The transcription factor T-bet orchestrates inflammatory genetic programs in both adaptive and innate immunity. We describe a profound and unexpected function for T-bet in influencing the behavior of host inflammatory activity and commensal bacteria. T-bet deficiency...

Isoflavones are found in leguminous plants, especially soybeans. They have a structural similarity to natural estrogens, which enables them to bind to estrogen receptors and elicit biological activities similar to natural estrogens. They have been suggested to be beneficial for the prevention and therapy of hormone-dependent diseases. After soy products are consumed, the bacteria of the intesti...

Yacon (Smallanthus sonchifolius), a perennial plant of the family Asteraceae native to the Andean regions of South America, is an abundant source of fructooligosaccharides (FOS). This comprehensive review of the literature addressed the role of yacon supplementation in promoting health and reducing the risk of chronic diseases. According to several preclinical and clinical trials, FOS intake fa...

An active polysaccharide from the rhizome of Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz (PAM) was identified to improve and adjust disordered intestinal flora. High-performance gel permeation chromatography (HPGPC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were employed to identify the components of PAM as rhamnose, glucose, mannose, xylose, and galactose at a ratio of 0.03 : 0.25 : 0.15 : 0.41 : 0...

Mixed intestinal bacteria were grown for 336 h in two identical single-stage chemostats at low growth rates in a carbohydrate-limited medium. Complex bacterial populations were maintained and anaerobes always outnumbered aerobes. The predominant organisms belonged to the genera Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, Eubacterium, Propionbacterium, Peptococcus, and Peptostrepto...

Gut bacteria are known to affect immune cell development, but most intestinal lymphocytes have no direct contact with luminal bacteria. Two studies by Atarashi et al. and Sano et al. shed light on how bacterial adhesion can cue intestinal epithelial cells to direct differentiation of gut T cells.

Mammals coexist in an overall symbiotic relationship with a complex array of commensal bacterial flora that colonizes the gastrointestinal tract. These intestinal bacteria interface with cells of the mucosal immune system, including DCs. Here we discuss mechanisms of interaction between intestinal bacteria and DCs and the role of localized gastrointestinal immune responses.