Microbiota and Autoimmunity

Abstract

The gut contains the largest collection of microorganisms in the human body, which are collectively referred to as the gut microbiome. Alterations in the fine balance of the gut microbiome have been known to contribute to the development of various diseases. It is now widely recognized that the gut microbiome is a major player in intestinal and extraintestinal autoimmune diseases. This chapter discusses the role of the microbiome in the induction of autoimmunity and provides helpful hints for future research. An overview of the role of the microbiome in the development of inflammatory bowel diseases, multiple sclerosis and diabetes mellitus is provided. The healthy oral microbiome is second in diversity only to the gut and is dominated by bacterial agents that can contribute to autoimmunity, as is the case in rheumatoid arthritis. We also introduce the concept of the infectome/autoinfectome that defines the group of autoimmune disease-causing infectious agents. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.