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Reciprocal interactions between Helicobacter hepaticus and the mouse immune system

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Bibliographic Details
Summary:Vertebrates are host for a very large number of bacteria, notably in the intestinal lumen. This complex microbiota encompasses microorganisms that can cause pathology in immunocompromised individuals, but not in healthy hosts who remain silent carriers. The reciprocal interactions between the host and such microbes must involve components of active immune tolerance maintaining at check protective immune responses of the ridding type. We addressed this hypothesis by studying mouse-Helicobacter hepaticus interactions. H. hepaticus is a gut bacteria commonly found in mouse facilities and in the wild. Mice can be persistently colonized with this microbe, even from the first days of life, without developing signs of pathology or decrease in breeding efficiency. However, immunocompromised animals can develop colitis when colonized with H. hepaticus. In this work, we sought to identify the immunological mechanisms triggered upon colonization that ensure a stable relationship between healthy mice and H. hepaticus.(...)
Main Authors:Braga Areal, Romulo
Subject:Helicobacter hepaticus mouse
Year:2016
Country:Portugal
Document type:doctoral thesis
Access type:open access
Associated institution:Universidade Nova de Lisboa
Language:English
Origin:Repositório Institucional da UNL
Description
Summary:Vertebrates are host for a very large number of bacteria, notably in the intestinal lumen. This complex microbiota encompasses microorganisms that can cause pathology in immunocompromised individuals, but not in healthy hosts who remain silent carriers. The reciprocal interactions between the host and such microbes must involve components of active immune tolerance maintaining at check protective immune responses of the ridding type. We addressed this hypothesis by studying mouse-Helicobacter hepaticus interactions. H. hepaticus is a gut bacteria commonly found in mouse facilities and in the wild. Mice can be persistently colonized with this microbe, even from the first days of life, without developing signs of pathology or decrease in breeding efficiency. However, immunocompromised animals can develop colitis when colonized with H. hepaticus. In this work, we sought to identify the immunological mechanisms triggered upon colonization that ensure a stable relationship between healthy mice and H. hepaticus.(...)