The microbiota-immune axis as a central mediator of gut-brain communication

• Published in: Neurobiology of disease Vol. 136; p. 104714
• Main Author: Fung, Thomas C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.03.2020; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Brain - immunology; Brain - metabolism; Central Nervous System Diseases - immunology; Central Nervous System Diseases - metabolism; Chronic intestinal inflammation; Gastrointestinal Microbiome - physiology; Gastrointestinal Tract - immunology; Gastrointestinal Tract - metabolism; Gut microbiota; Humans; Immune modulation; Inflammation Mediators - immunology; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Microbial therapeutics; Microbiota - physiology; Neurodegeneration; Neuroinflammation; Neuropsychiatric disorders; Systemic inflammation; Gut microbiota; Neuropsychiatric disorders; Neurodegeneration; Neuroinflammation; Chronic intestinal inflammation; Microbial therapeutics; Immune modulation; Systemic inflammation
• ISSN: 0969-9961; 1095-953X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104714

Intestinal inflammatory disorders are associated with neurophysiological and behavioral symptoms. Conversely, many disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) are accompanied by intestinal complications. These observations suggest that intestinal and nervous system physiologies are functionally linked. Indeed, a growing body of literature has revealed multiple pathways mediating bidirectional communication between the intestine and the CNS, collectively referred to as the gut-brain axis. In particular, microbes naturally colonizing the mammalian gastrointestinal (GI) tract, termed the gut microbiota, not only correlate with but also play a causative role in regulating CNS function, development and host behavior. Despite these findings, our understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms that mediate gut-brain communication remains in its infancy. However, members of the gut microbiota have been established as potent modulators of intestinal, systemic and CNS-resident immune cell function, suggesting that gut-brain interactions may involve the host immune system. Multiple CNS disorders with gut microbiota associations, including neuroinflammatory, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders, also have significant inflammatory manifestations. In this review, I discuss recent advances exploring the role of microbiota-immune interactions as a critical regulator of the gut-brain axis in the context of CNS and related disorders.