Interaction between intestinal epithelium and microbiome

Abstract:

The intestinal epithelium is the mucosal interface consisting of intestinal epithelial cells and their secretions. Owing to the progress of technology and the increasing attention to the role of intestinal microbiome, researchers have deepened the understanding of interaction between intestinal epithelium and microbiome. The available studies have demonstrated that intestinal epithelium regulates and maintains the colonization and distribution of microbiome, while the microbiome affects multiple barrier functions of the epithelium. They interact through a series of cellular and molecular mechanisms, maintaining intestinal homeostasis together. Moreover, their co-metabolites produced in the process can reflect the physiological or pathological state of the host and be used as biomarkers for diagnosis of diseases, evaluation of therapeutic effect, and prediction of prognosis. This paper reviews the research progress in the interaction between intestinal epithelial and microbiome and the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms, which provides a theoretical basis for further research and clinical application. Finally, we predict the possible directions of the future research.