Neurogastroenterology and motility : the official journal of the European Gastrointestinal Motility Society
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Neurogastroenterol. Motil. · Jun 2018
ReviewMicrobiota-gut-brain axis: Interaction of gut microbes and their metabolites with host epithelial barriers.
The gastrointestinal barrier and the blood brain barrier represent an important line of defense to protect the underlying structures against harmful external stimuli. These host barriers are composed of epithelial and endothelial cells interconnected by tight junction proteins along with several other supporting structures. ⋯ In the current issue of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Marungruang et al. describe the effect of gastrointestinal barrier maturation on gut microbiota and the blood brain barrier adding to the growing evidence of microbiota-barrier interactions. In this mini-review I will discuss the effect of gut microbiota on host epithelial barriers and its implications for diseases associated with disrupted gut-brain axis.