草莓污视频导航
Oct. 23, 2017
Study reveals connection between microbiome and autoimmune disorders
Many people associate the word 鈥渂acteria鈥 with something dirty and disgusting. Dr. Pere Santamaria disagrees. Called the microbiome, the bacteria in our bodies have all kinds of positive effects on our health, Santamaria says. 鈥淭he bacteria we have in our gut actually have many beneficial functions. They help in our digestion, prevent infection by pathogens and educate our immune system on what to fight.鈥 Now, a new function of a protein in the gut microbiome reveals potential impacts for those who suffer from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
Published last week in聽,聽a study by Santamaria and Kathy McCoy, PhD, from the 草莓污视频导航鈥檚聽(CSM) reveals a new mechanism in the gut microbiome that regulates pro- and anti-inflammatory cells. 鈥淲e found that a protein expressed by gut bacteria called Bacteroides works to prevent IBD by rapidly recruiting white blood cells to kill a cell of the immune system that is responsible for orchestrating IBD,鈥 says McCoy. 鈥淲e think that this mechanism is likely involved in preventing most people from developing IBD.鈥
However, there is a flipside to the protein鈥檚 call for help. 鈥淚n some people, the white blood cells overreact to the presence of the IBD bacteria. This is what causes problems like IBD聽鈥斅爄t's not the bacteria itself, but the immune system鈥檚 severe reaction triggered by the protein. These same overstimulated white blood cells are also the cells that cause other autoimmune disorders like diabetes,鈥 says Santamaria. 鈥淭his discovery demonstrates the effect the gut microbiome has on the immune system and unearths a novel mechanism via which changes in the gut microbiome can increase the risk of autoimmune disorders. While we looked specifically at IBD, it is likely there are many proteins in the gut that contribute to the development of other autoimmune disorders via similar mechanisms.鈥
Research into the gut microbiome requires the isolation of a single bacterium in animal models in order to rule out other environmental factors. 鈥淚t was germ-free mice that first began our research collaboration,鈥 says McCoy. Prior to joining 草莓污视频导航, McCoy was working with germ-free mice at the聽, Switzerland. 鈥淒r. Santamaria sent me his mouse strains to make them germ-free and then we were able to add back single microbial species that did or did not express the protein in the gut to investigate their effect.鈥 Six years later, the pair are still working together and looking ahead to the future impacts of their discoveries.
While more research is necessary, Santamaria and McCoy are optimistic that new therapies will be developed that harness the power of the gut microbiome. The new聽Western Canadian Microbiome Center聽(WCMC)鈥檚 germ-free facility, opening in November 2017 at the CSM, will provide the perfect space to investigate gut bacteria. 鈥淲e will be able to study specific gut microbiomes without other environmental variables to consider,鈥 says McCoy, who is the director of the WCMC. 鈥淭his will help us further this research, as well as complete many other studies into the effects of the microbiome.鈥
Pere Santamaria, MD, PhD, is a professor in the聽聽at the Cumming School of Medicine. He is a member of the聽聽and the聽.
Kathy McCoy, PhD, is a professor in the聽聽at the Cumming School of Medicine. She is a member of the Snyder Institute of Chronic Diseases.