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Gut microbiota

Neonatal gut microbiota induces lung immunity against pneumonia

Disruption of the microbiota during early life can have important consequences for infant health outcomes; in particular, antibiotic usage is linked to an increased risk of pneumonia. A new study has identified cellular and molecular mediators involved in the crosstalk between early-life gut bacterial colonization and development of lung immunity against pneumonia in newborn mice.

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Figure 1: Intestinal colonization by commensals drives lung immunity defence in newborn mice.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are partially funded by SUCCESS and the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (grant #362048).

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Correspondence to Jose C. Clemente.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Tamburini, S., Clemente, J. Neonatal gut microbiota induces lung immunity against pneumonia. Nat Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 14, 263–264 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrgastro.2017.34

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