English
 
Help Privacy Policy Disclaimer
  Advanced SearchBrowse

Item

ITEM ACTIONSEXPORT

Released

Journal Article

Commensal gut flora and brain autoimmunity: A love or hate affair?

MPS-Authors
/persons/resource/persons38762

Berer,  Kerstin
Department: Neuroimmunology / Wekerle, MPI of Neurobiology, Max Planck Society;

/persons/resource/persons38946

Krishnamoorthy,  Gurumoorthy
Department: Neuroimmunology / Wekerle, MPI of Neurobiology, Max Planck Society;

External Resource
No external resources are shared
Fulltext (restricted access)
There are currently no full texts shared for your IP range.
Fulltext (public)
There are no public fulltexts stored in PuRe
Supplementary Material (public)
There is no public supplementary material available
Citation

Berer, K., & Krishnamoorthy, G. (2012). Commensal gut flora and brain autoimmunity: A love or hate affair? Acta Neuropathologica (Berl), 123(5), 639-651. doi:10.1007/s00401-012-0949-9.


Cite as: https://hdl.handle.net/11858/00-001M-0000-000F-8595-E
Abstract
Multiple sclerosis (MS) and other chronic inflammatory autoimmune
diseases represent major public health challenges in industrialised
Western society. MS results from an autoimmune attack against myelin
structures by self-reactive lymphocytes, which are normal components of
the healthy immune repertoire. The nature of the triggers that convert
the innocuous self-reactive lymphocytes into an autoaggressive
phenotype is poorly understood. In the past, it was primarily suspected
that pathogenic infections trigger MS. However, so far, none of the
incriminated pathogenic microbes were firmly associated with the
disease. A growing body of evidence in animal models of MS implicates
the gut microbiota in the induction of central nervous system (CNS)
autoimmunity. The mammalian gut harbors a diverse population of
microbial organisms which are essential for our well being. There is an
increasing understanding that the gut microbiota not only modulates the
local immune functions but also affects the systemic immune system. We
are only just beginning to understand the nature of the interactions of
the gut microbiota with the host's immune system especially in the
context of autoimmune diseases. This review will address the influence
of intestinal microbiota on immune homeostasis and on the development
of autoimmune responses at sites distal to the intestine with a
particular emphasis placed on a discussion about CNS autoimmunity.