Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of Life

The development of the human immune system starts during the fetal period in a largely, but probably not completely, sterile environment. During and after birth, the immune system is exposed to an increasingly complex microbiota. The first microbiota encountered during passage through the birth cana...

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Main Authors: Muy Heang Tang, Ishbel Ligthart, Samuel Varga, Sarah Lebeer, Frans J. van Overveld, Ger T. Rijkers
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/3/299
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author Muy Heang Tang
Ishbel Ligthart
Samuel Varga
Sarah Lebeer
Frans J. van Overveld
Ger T. Rijkers
author_facet Muy Heang Tang
Ishbel Ligthart
Samuel Varga
Sarah Lebeer
Frans J. van Overveld
Ger T. Rijkers
author_sort Muy Heang Tang
collection DOAJ
description The development of the human immune system starts during the fetal period in a largely, but probably not completely, sterile environment. During and after birth, the immune system is exposed to an increasingly complex microbiota. The first microbiota encountered during passage through the birth canal colonize the infant gut and induce the tolerance of the immune system. Transplacentally derived maternal IgG as well as IgA from breast milk protect the infant from infections during the first 100 days, during which the immune system further develops and immunological memory is formed. The Weaning and introduction of solid food expose the immune system to novel (food) antigens and allow for other microbiota to colonize. The cells and molecules involved in the mutual and intricate interactions between microbiota and the developing immune system are now beginning to be recognized. These include bacterial components such as polysaccharide A from <i>Bacteroides fragilis</i>, as well as bacterial metabolites such as the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, indole-3-aldehyde, and indole-3-propionic acid. All these, and probably more, bacterial metabolites have specific immunoregulatory functions which shape the development of the human immune system during the first 1000 days of life.
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spelling doaj-art-902f307397c84e109ba1339a814adf1a2025-08-20T02:42:45ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372025-03-0114329910.3390/biology14030299Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of LifeMuy Heang Tang0Ishbel Ligthart1Samuel Varga2Sarah Lebeer3Frans J. van Overveld4Ger T. Rijkers5Department of Science and Engineering, University College Roosevelt, 4331 CB Middelburg, The NetherlandsDepartment of Science and Engineering, University College Roosevelt, 4331 CB Middelburg, The NetherlandsDepartment of Science and Engineering, University College Roosevelt, 4331 CB Middelburg, The NetherlandsLab of Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology, Department of Bioscience Engineering, University of Antwerp, 2020 Antwerpen, BelgiumDepartment of Science and Engineering, University College Roosevelt, 4331 CB Middelburg, The NetherlandsDepartment of Science and Engineering, University College Roosevelt, 4331 CB Middelburg, The NetherlandsThe development of the human immune system starts during the fetal period in a largely, but probably not completely, sterile environment. During and after birth, the immune system is exposed to an increasingly complex microbiota. The first microbiota encountered during passage through the birth canal colonize the infant gut and induce the tolerance of the immune system. Transplacentally derived maternal IgG as well as IgA from breast milk protect the infant from infections during the first 100 days, during which the immune system further develops and immunological memory is formed. The Weaning and introduction of solid food expose the immune system to novel (food) antigens and allow for other microbiota to colonize. The cells and molecules involved in the mutual and intricate interactions between microbiota and the developing immune system are now beginning to be recognized. These include bacterial components such as polysaccharide A from <i>Bacteroides fragilis</i>, as well as bacterial metabolites such as the short-chain fatty acid butyrate, indole-3-aldehyde, and indole-3-propionic acid. All these, and probably more, bacterial metabolites have specific immunoregulatory functions which shape the development of the human immune system during the first 1000 days of life.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/3/299gut microbiotaneonatal immune systembacterial colonizationmode of deliveryprenatal deliveryshort-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)
spellingShingle Muy Heang Tang
Ishbel Ligthart
Samuel Varga
Sarah Lebeer
Frans J. van Overveld
Ger T. Rijkers
Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of Life
Biology
gut microbiota
neonatal immune system
bacterial colonization
mode of delivery
prenatal delivery
short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)
title Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of Life
title_full Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of Life
title_fullStr Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of Life
title_full_unstemmed Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of Life
title_short Mutual Interactions Between Microbiota and the Human Immune System During the First 1000 Days of Life
title_sort mutual interactions between microbiota and the human immune system during the first 1000 days of life
topic gut microbiota
neonatal immune system
bacterial colonization
mode of delivery
prenatal delivery
short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs)
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/3/299
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