Molecular interactions between the intestinal microbiota and the host

The intestine is the most densely colonized region of the body, inhabited by a diverse community of microbes. The functional significance of the intestinal microbiota is not yet fully understood, but it is known that the microbiota is implicated in numerous physiological processes of the host, such as metabolism, nutrition, the immune system, and regulation of behavior and mood. This article reviews recent findings on how bacteria of the intestinal microbiota interact with the host. Microbiota-microbiota and microbiota-host interactions are mediated by direct cell contact and by metabolites either produced by bacteria or produced by the host or the environment and metabolized by bacteria. Among them are short-chain fatty, including butyrate, propionate, and acetate. Other examples include polyamines, linoleic acid metabolites, tryptophan metabolites, trimethylamine-N-oxide, vitamins, and secondary bile acids. These metabolites are involved in regulating the cell cycle, neurobiological signaling, cholesterol and bile acid metabolism, immune responses, and responses to antioxidants. Understanding the host-microbiota pathways and their modulation will allow the identification of individualized therapeutic targets for many diseases. This overview helps to facilitate and promote further research in this field.