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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 26, 2026

Therapeutic Evaluation of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in an Interleukin 10-Deficient Mouse Model

Therapeutic Evaluation of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in an Interleukin 10-Deficient Mouse Model

Published on: April 6, 2022

Fungi facilitate gut healing.

Annalisa M VanHook¹

¹Science Signaling, AAAS, Washington, DC 20005, USA.

Science Signaling

|February 24, 2026

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

A protein from a mouse fungus helps heal the gut. This discovery offers new ways to treat intestinal damage.

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An Intestinal Gut Organ Culture System for Analyzing Host-Microbiota Interactions

An Intestinal Gut Organ Culture System for Analyzing Host-Microbiota Interactions

Published on: June 30, 2021

Area of Science:

Microbiology
Gastroenterology
Immunology

Background:

Intestinal barrier integrity is crucial for health.
Dysfunction of the intestinal barrier is implicated in various gastrointestinal diseases.
Commensal microorganisms play a role in maintaining gut homeostasis.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the role of proteins secreted by commensal fungi in intestinal repair.
To identify specific fungal proteins that promote healing of the intestinal lining.

Main Methods:

Mice models were used to study intestinal repair.
A specific protein secreted by a mouse commensal fungus was isolated and characterized.
The effect of this protein on intestinal epithelial cells was assessed in vitro and in vivo.

Main Results:

A protein secreted by the mouse commensal fungus *Malassezia globosa* was identified.
This protein significantly accelerated the repair of chemically induced intestinal damage in mice.
The protein demonstrated the ability to promote proliferation and migration of intestinal epithelial cells.

Conclusions:

A fungal protein can stimulate intestinal repair, highlighting a novel therapeutic target.
This finding opens new avenues for developing treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases and other gastrointestinal disorders.
The study underscores the complex interplay between commensal fungi and host intestinal health.