Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 19, 2026
12:40
Cultivation of Heligmosomoides Polygyrus: An Immunomodulatory Nematode Parasite and its Secreted Products
Published on: April 6, 2015
19.6K
Intimate gut interactions: helminths and the microbiota
1Global Health Institute, School of Life Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), station 19, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
Cell Research
|June 15, 2016
Summary
Intestinal helminth infections may prevent inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by inhibiting a common gut bacterium. This finding links changes in the gut microbiome and helminth exposure to chronic inflammatory disease development.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Microbiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Rising incidence of chronic inflammatory diseases like allergy, autoimmunity, and IBD in developed nations.
- Independent hypotheses suggest altered intestinal helminth exposure or microbiome changes contribute to these diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between intestinal helminth infection and the development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
- To determine if helminth infection influences the outgrowth of specific gut bacteria implicated in IBD.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a mouse model of IBD.
- Introduced a common intestinal bacterium known to cause IBD in susceptible mice.
- Assessed the impact of intestinal helminth infection on bacterial outgrowth and disease development.
Main Results:
- Intestinal helminth infection prevented the outgrowth of a common intestinal bacterium.
- This inhibition was observed in genetically susceptible mice.
- Helminth infection demonstrated a protective effect against IBD development in this model.
Conclusions:
- Intestinal helminth infection can modulate the gut microbiome composition.
- Helminth-induced changes in the microbiome may protect against IBD development in susceptible individuals.
- This study provides a mechanistic link between helminth exposure, microbiome alterations, and chronic inflammatory disease prevention.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:18Functions of the Gut Microbiota
1
The gut microbiota includes trillions of microorganisms that colonize the human gastrointestinal tract, including bacteria, archaea, viruses, and fungi. This complex ecosystem plays a critical role in maintaining intestinal and systemic health. Most of these microbes inhabit the large intestine, establishing a relatively stable and diverse community that contributes to gut homeostasis through various metabolic, immunological, and protective mechanisms.Dominant bacterial phyla, such as...
1
01:27Microbiota of the Stomach and Small Intestine
1
The human gastrointestinal (GI) tract is characterized by distinct physicochemical conditions that shape its microbial communities. Among these, the stomach presents a particularly challenging environment for microbial colonization due to its highly acidic pH, ranging from 1 to 3. This extreme acidity effectively limits microbial density. However, certain acid-tolerant microorganisms are capable of surviving in this niche. Notably, Helicobacter pylori can colonize the gastric mucosa,...
1
01:27Microbiota of the Large Intestine
1
The large intestine hosts the most densely populated microbial ecosystem in the human body. This complex community primarily consists of anaerobic bacteria, with Bacillota (formerly Firmicutes) and Bacteroidota (formerly Bacteroidetes) as the predominant groups. The distribution of these microbes varies along different sections of the large intestine, influenced by local environmental factors such as oxygen availability and nutrient composition.The cecum, located at the beginning of the large...
1
01:22Microbial Interactions: Parasitism
1
Parasitism is a form of microbial interaction in which parasitic microbes exploit a host organism for nutrients and shelter, often at the host's expense. Unlike mutualistic relationships, where both organisms benefit, parasitism benefits only the parasite and harms the host.Classification of ParasitesMicrobial parasites are broadly classified based on their location relative to the host.Ectoparasites remain on the host’s surface, such as the skin or outer tissues, drawing nutrients...
1
01:26Microbial Interactions: Cooperation
1
Microbial cooperation involves beneficial interactions in which different species work together for individual or mutual advantage. These interactions can profoundly influence ecological dynamics and evolutionary processes, and they are essential to many pathogenic and symbiotic relationships.Nematode–Bacteria CooperationA striking example is the relationship between the Gram-negative bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila and the parasitic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae. Juvenile nematodes...
1
01:22Introduction to the Human Microbiota
22
Microorganisms colonize various regions of the human body, including the mouth, nasal passages, throat, stomach, intestines, urogenital tract, and skin. The total number of microbial cells is estimated to range from 10¹³ to 10¹⁴—comparable to, or exceeding, the number of human somatic cells. This host–microbiome relationship has led to the conceptualization of humans as supraorganisms, wherein microbial communities perform vital roles in development, immunity,...
22