Korean J Vet Res.  2016 Jun;56(2):57-66. 10.14405/kjvr.2016.56.2.57.

Physiological understanding of host-microbial pathogen interactions in the gut

• Lee SJ
• Choi SH
• Han HJ

• KMID: 2368745
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14405/kjvr.2016.56.2.57

Abstract

The gut epithelial barrier, which is composed of the mucosal layer and the intestinal epithelium, has multiple defense mechanisms and interconnected regulatory mechanisms against enteric microbial pathogens. However, many bacterial pathogens have highly evolved infectious stratagems that manipulate mucin production, epithelial cell-cell junctions, cell death, and cell turnover to promote their replication and pathogenicity in the gut epithelial barrier. In this review, we focus on current knowledge about how bacterial pathogens regulate mucin levels to circumvent the epithelial mucus barrier and target cell-cell junctions to invade deeper tissues and increase their colonization. We also describe how bacterial pathogens manipulate various modes of epithelial cell death to facilitate bacterial dissemination and virulence effects. Finally, we discuss recent investigating how bacterial pathogens regulate epithelial cell turnover and intestinal stem cell populations to modulate intestinal epithelium homeostasis.

Keyword

epithelial cells turnover; intestinal epithelium; intestinal stem cells; mucosal layer; pathogens; tight junction

MeSH Terms

Colon
Defense Mechanisms
Epithelial Cells
Homeostasis
Intercellular Junctions
Intestinal Mucosa
Mucins
Mucus
Stem Cells
Tight Junctions
Virulence
Mucins