Microbial (co)infections: Powerful immune influencers.
Ali Hassan1, Nicolas Blanchard1
1Toulouse Institute for Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases, Infinity, University of Toulouse, CNRS, Inserm, UPS, Toulouse, France.
Infections can significantly impact inflammatory diseases by altering immune functions. Understanding these interactions, including the role of microbiota and germ exposure, is key to managing disease and harnessing pathogen benefits.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Autoimmune Diseases
Background:
- Host infections modulate immune functions, affecting concurrent inflammatory diseases of infectious and autoimmune origins.
- Commensal microbiota and exposure to various microorganisms (viral, bacterial, parasitic) profoundly influence inflammatory disease outcomes, either beneficially or harmfully.
- Coinfections can alter pathogen control and host tissue damage tolerance, significantly impacting the development of infectious diseases.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the diverse mechanisms by which (co)infections impact inflammatory disorders.
- To discuss epidemiological studies, including the hygiene hypothesis, regarding germ exposure and human susceptibility to inflammatory disease.
- To summarize immunomodulatory mechanisms and explore harnessing pathogen-derived compounds for therapeutic benefit.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of epidemiological studies.
- Analysis of immunomodulatory mechanisms.
- Discussion of pathogen-derived compounds for host benefit.
Main Results:
- Infections can beneficially or harmfully influence inflammatory diseases.
- Germ exposure has a dual impact on inflammatory disease susceptibility.
- Immunomodulatory mechanisms involve pleiotropic effects of immune players.
Conclusions:
- Understanding the interplay between infections and inflammation is crucial.
- The hygiene hypothesis provides context for germ exposure effects.
- Pathogen-derived compounds offer potential therapeutic avenues for inflammatory disorders.
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