Microbiomes: Building Better Immune Systems

In 2008, Dr. Khortus, a gastroenterologist at the University of Minnesota, attempted to treat a patient that was dealing with a terrible gut infection of Clostridim difficile which resulted in constant diarrhea and the patient losing 60 pounds over eight months. After failed attempts of using antiobiotics, Dr. Khoruts used a procedure known as bacteriotherapy or fecal transplantation, where he transplanted the patient’s husband’s bacteria into the patient’s gut. After the transplant, the Clostridium difficile infection completely vanished and remains nonexistent since. By using a genetic survey of the bacteria before and after the procedure,  several scientists observed that the husband’s microbes have completely taken over.

Gut bacteria is just an example of the microbiomes that exist in the human body. One scientist estimates that there are between 500 and 1000 species of microbes that exist in the body in which there are those that exist all over or some that only exist in a certain part of the body. These microbes serve several functions such as helping to digest or allowing the nose to make antiobiotics that can kill off dangerous pathogens.  In order for these microbes to exist in the human body, however, it is necessary for the immune system to build a tolerance to them. Scientists have discovered that the microbiomes that are exposed to the human body is what helps build the immune system to a proper balance.

An example of this is where certain mice’s immune systems cannot build an inflammation reducing molecule as a result of a missing microbiome. When these mice were induced with a gut bacteria known as bacteriodes fragilis, the bacteria produced a certain signal that allowed immune system cells to develop the inflammation reducing molecules. Not only do microbes define how the immune system are built, they also show how certain people differ such as microbes in children born from C-sections are different from those born from vaginal birth. Doctors discovered that those who were born from C-sections had an increase in asthma and allergies as a result of the fact that the immune systems not being naturally exposed to certain microbiomes.  

 This article captivated me because it shows how microbes are necessary for the human body and how it allows the immune system to develop into becoming stronger. If doctors are capable of getting a better understanding of microbiomes, it may give them an opportunity to find a new way to fight different diseases and build a better immune systems.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13micro.html?adxnnl=1&pagewanted=all&adxnnlx=1320121083-csl92ZuAE9sqQCkHxnC9uA