Dysbiosis arising from abnormal immune function can initiate or amplify autoimmunity through multiple mechanisms. - GreenMedInfo Summary
Microbiota - an amplifier of autoimmunity.
Curr Opin Immunol. 2018 Dec ;55:15-21. Epub 2018 Sep 22. PMID: 30248521
Alexis Vogelzang
Many studies describe dysbiosis as a change in the microbiota that accompanies autoimmune illnesses, but little is known about whether these changes are a cause or consequence of an altered immune state. The immune system actively shapes the composition of the microbiota, with divergent outcomes in healthy or autoimmune-prone individuals. The gut microbiota in turn acts as an acquired endocrine organ, influencing the physiology of the host via release of nutrients and chemical messengers. Dysbiosis arising from abnormal immune function can initiate or amplify autoimmunity through multiple mechanisms. We examine how the bidirectional relationship between resident microbes and the immune system contributes to autoimmune diseases.