Innate Immune Sensors and Gastrointestinal Bacterial Infections

The gastrointestinal microbiota is a major source of immune stimulation. The interaction between host pattern-recognition receptors and conserved microbial ligands profoundly influences infection dynamics. Identifying and understanding the nature of these interactions is a key step towards obtaining a clearer picture of microbial pathogenesis. These interactions underpin a complex interplay between microbe and host that has far reaching consequences for both. Here, we review the role of pattern recognition receptors in three prototype diseases affecting the stomach, the small intestine, and large intestine, respectively (Helicobacter pylori infection, Salmonella infection, and inflammatory bowel disease). Specifically, we review the nature and impact of pathogen:receptor interactions, their impact upon pathogenesis, and address the relevance of pattern recognition receptors in the development of therapies for gastrointestinal diseases

Detection of Campylobacter concisus and other Campylobacter species in colonic biopsies from adults with ulcerative colitis

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Lack of association between the rs2294008 polymorphism in the prostate stem cell antigen gene and colorectal neoplasia : a case-control and immunohistochemical study

PMID: 22824379 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE] PMCID: PMC3500224 Free PMC ArticlePeer reviewedPublisher PD

The influence of early research experience in medical school on the decision to intercalate and future career in clinical academia : A questionnaire study

Funding for the study was made available from University academic development funds.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The gut virome:the ‘missing link’ between gut bacteria and host immunity?

The human gut virome includes a diverse collection of viruses that infect our own cells as well as other commensal organisms, directly impacting on our well-being. Despite its predominance, the virome remains one of the least understood components of the gut microbiota, with appropriate analysis toolkits still in development. Based on its interconnectivity with all living cells, it is clear that the virome cannot be studied in isolation. Here we review the current understanding of the human gut virome, specifically in relation to other constituents of the microbiome, its evolution and life-long association with its host, and our current understanding in the context of inflammatory bowel disease and associated therapies. We propose that the gut virome and the gut bacterial microbiome share similar trajectories and interact in both health and disease and that future microbiota studies should in parallel characterize the gut virome to uncover its role in health and disease

Innate immune sensors and gastrointestinal bacterial infections.

The gastrointestinal microbiota is a major source of immune stimulation. The interaction between host pattern-recognition receptors and conserved microbial ligands profoundly influences infection dynamics. Identifying and understanding the nature of these interactions is a key step towards obtaining a clearer picture of microbial pathogenesis. These interactions underpin a complex interplay between microbe and host that has far reaching consequences for both. Here, we review the role of pattern recognition receptors in three prototype diseases affecting the stomach, the small intestine, and large intestine, respectively (Helicobacter pylori infection, Salmonella infection, and inflammatory bowel disease). Specifically, we review the nature and impact of pathogen:receptor interactions, their impact upon pathogenesis, and address the relevance of pattern recognition receptors in the development of therapies for gastrointestinal diseases.Peer Reviewe

First-Pass Meconium Samples from Healthy Term Vaginally-Delivered Neonates : An Analysis of the Microbiota

Acknowledgments The authors would like to thank the parents who consented to provide samples with limited notice at an emotional and stressful time. This work was supported entirely from personal donations to the neonatal endowments fund at Aberdeen Maternity Hospital and we thank families for their continued generosity, year-on-year. The Rowett Institute of Nutrition and Health receives funding from the Scottish Government (SG-RESAS). Funding: This work was funded from NHS Grampian Neonatal Endowments. The Rowett Institute receives funding from the Rural and Environmental Science and Analytical Services programme of the Scottish Government. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

The TLR4 D299G and T399I SNPs Are Constitutively Active to Up-Regulate Expression of Trif-Dependent Genes

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Comparative genomics of Campylobacter concisus:Analysis of clinical strains reveals genome diversity and pathogenic potential

We thank members of the GI Research Team for discussions and advice. The authors thank Brennan Martin and the Centre for Genome Enabled Biology and Medicine for Illumina sequencing and useful discussions. This work was supported by a Fulbright Scholarship to G.L.H., an NHS Grampian Endowment grant fund to I.M. and G.L.H., a CSO clinical academic fellowship to R.H. (CAF/08/01). R.H. is supported by an NHS Research Scotland Career Researcher Fellowship. This work was generously supported by the Catherine McEwan Foundation. Sequence deposition The C. concisus raw sequencing reads and genome assemblies are freely available from the EMBL-EBI ENA under the study Accession PRJEB22351.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Enterohepatic Helicobacter in ulcerative colitis : potential pathogenic entities?

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