Diet, Microbiome, and the Intestinal Epithelium: An Essential Triumvirate?

Abstract

The intestinal epithelium represents a critical barrier protecting the host against diverse luminal noxious agents, as well as preventing the uncontrolled uptake of bacteria that could activate an immune response in a susceptible host. The epithelial monolayer that constitutes this barrier is regulated by a meshwork of proteins that orchestrate complex biological function such as permeability, transepithelial electrical resistance, and movement of various macromolecules. Because of its key role in maintaining host homeostasis, factors regulating barrier function have attracted sustained attention from the research community. This paper will address the role of bacteria, bacterial-derived metabolism, and the interplay of dietary factors in controlling intestinal barrier function.

Dietary Patterns and Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Europe

“…56 On the other hand, interactions between dietary fiber and the gut microbiota are thought to play an important role in the regulation of the gut barrier integrity. 57 Dietary fiber largely provided by vegetables, fruit and legumes lead to the production of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and especially of butyrate by colonic bacterial fermentation. SCFAs enhance the integrity of the intestinal barrier 58,59 and could regulate the size and function of the colonic Treg pool that protects against experimental colitis in mice.…”

The Microbiota Protects against Ischemia/Reperfusion-Induced Intestinal Injury through Nucleotide-Binding Oligomerization Domain-Containing Protein 2 (NOD2) Signaling

“…45 Several reports demonstrate that the microbiota also contributes to various aspects of barrier function. 46 For example, GF animals have decreased rates…”

Effect of dietary supplementation of probiotics and palm fruits extracts on the antioxidant enzyme gene expression in the mucosae of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.)

“…To date, very few in vivo studies using probiotic combinations showing health benefits in fish have been published [10]. Furthermore, although there is a greater knowledge of the modes of action of probiotics [11,12], further information on the probiotic-host interaction is required for an improved understanding of their in vivo effects, and new molecular studies are needed. Shewanella putrefasciens Pdp11 has been isolated from the skin mucus of healthy gilthead seabream (S. aurata) [13], and this is a probiotic bacteria that improves fish gastrointestinal tract morphology and microbiota, nutrition, immune status and disease resistance, and also mitigates the stress response in gilthead seabream and Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) [14].…”