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Gastrointestinal stress as innate defence against microbial attack
Author(s) -
Panwar H.,
Roka.,
Aparna S. V.,
Kaur J.,
Singh A.,
Singh J.,
Singh K.S.,
Chaudhary V.,
Puniya A.K.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 1364-5072
DOI - 10.1111/jam.14836
Subject(s) - biology , gastrointestinal tract , microbiology and biotechnology , defence mechanisms , innate immune system , human health , human pathogen , flora (microbiology) , probiotic , human gastrointestinal tract , pathogen , bacteria , immunology , immune system , environmental health , medicine , genetics , biochemistry , gene
Summary The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract has been bestowed with the most difficult task of protecting the underlying biological compartments from the resident commensal flora and the potential pathogens in transit through the GI tract. It has a unique environment in which several defence tactics are at play while maintaining homeostasis and health. The GI tract shows myriad number of environmental extremes, which includes pH variations, anaerobic conditions, nutrient limitations, elevated osmolarity etc., which puts a check to colonization and growth of nonfriendly microbial strains. The GI tract acts as a highly selective barrier/platform for ingested food and is the primary playground for balance between the resident and uninvited organisms. This review focuses on antimicrobial defense mechanisms of different sections of human GI tract. In addition, the protective mechanisms used by microbes to combat the human GI defence systems are also discussed. The ability to survive this innate defence mechanism determines the capability of probiotic or pathogen strains to confer health benefits or induce clinical events respectively.