Rapid fucosylation of intestinal epithelium sustains host-commensal symbiosis in sickness.

ABSTRACT: Systemic infection induces conserved physiological responses that include both resistance and 'tolerance of infection' mechanisms. Temporary anorexia associated with an infection is often beneficial, reallocating energy from food foraging towards resistance to infection or depriving pathogens of nutrients. However, it imposes a stress on intestinal commensals, as they also experience reduced substrate availability; this affects host fitness owing to the loss of caloric intake and colonization resistance (protection from additional infections). We hypothesized that the host might utilize internal resources to support the gut microbiota during the acute phase of the disease. Here we show that systemic exposure to Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands causes rapid α(1,2)-fucosylation of small inte

SUBMITTER: Pickard JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4214913 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature