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  • Review Article
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How the microbiota shapes rheumatic diseases

Nature Reviews Rheumatology volume 12, pages 398–411 (2016)Cite this article

Subjects

Key Points

  • Gut microbiota shape immune responses

  • Both innate and adaptive immunity are influenced by gut microbiota, locally in the gut as well as systemically

  • Intestinal dysbiosis is a feature of several inflammatory rheumatic disorders

  • Development of anticitrullinated protein antibodies is modulated by HLA shared epitope alleles, smoking and specialized microbiota at mucosal sites

  • Gut inflammation in spondyloarthritis is linked to a more severe disease course and risk of developing Crohn disease and is associated with intestinal dysbiosis

  • Restoring intestinal homeostasis by altered microbiota is an attractive therapeutic strategy to combat rheumatic diseases

Abstract

The human gut harbours a tremendously diverse and abundant microbial community that correlates with, and even modulates, many health-related processes. The mucosal interfaces are particularly active sites of microorganism–host interplay. Growing insight into the characteristic composition and functionality of the mucosal microbiota has revealed that the microbiota is involved in mucosal barrier integrity and immune function. This involvement affects proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes not only at the epithelial level, but also at remote sites such as the joints. Here, we review the role of the gut microbiota in shaping local and systemic immune responses and how disturbances in the host–microorganism interplay can potentially affect the development and progression of rheumatic diseases. Increasing our understanding of how to promote host–microorganism homeostasis could therefore reveal novel strategies for the prevention or alleviation of rheumatic disease.

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Figure 1: Relationship between gut microbiota and immune function of the host.
Figure 2: Unidirectional host–microorganism interplay.
Figure 3: Multidirectional model of host–microorganism interplay.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Technology (LabMET), Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium

    Tom Van de Wiele & Massimo Marzorati

  2. Department of Rheumatology, Laboratory for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, B-9000, Belgium

    Jens T. Van Praet, Michael B. Drennan & Dirk Elewaut

  3. Unit for Molecular Immunology and Inflammation, VIB Inflammation Research Center, Ghent University, 'Fiers-Schell-Van Montagu' building, Technologiepark 927, Ghent (Zwijnaarde), B-9052, Belgium

    Jens T. Van Praet, Michael B. Drennan & Dirk Elewaut

  4. Division of Nephrology and Infectious Diseases, AZ Sint–Jan Brugge–Oostende AV, Ruddershove 10, Bruges, 8000, Belgium

    Jens T. Van Praet

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  1. Tom Van de Wiele
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Contributions

T.V.d.W., J.T.V.P., M.M., M.B.D. and D.E. researched data for the article. T.V.d.W., J.v.P and D.E. made substantial contributions to the discussion of content. All authors contributed to the writing of the manuscript. T.V.d.W., J.v.P., M.B.D. and D.E., reviewed/edited the manuscript before submission.

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Van de Wiele, T., Van Praet, J., Marzorati, M. et al. How the microbiota shapes rheumatic diseases. Nat Rev Rheumatol 12, 398–411 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrrheum.2016.85

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