Gut Microbiota-Immune System Cross-Talk: Mechanisms of Microbial Regulation of Host Immune Responses in Health and Disease – INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCHOLARLY RESOURCES

Adedoyin Elizabeth Ayodele*

Department of Microbiology, Federal University Oye Ekiti, Ekiti State, Nigeria

ayodeleadeli101@gmail.com

Publication History

Submitted: 1 August 2025 | Published: 12 October 2025

How to cite: Ayodele, A. E. (2025). Gut Microbiota-Immune System Cross-Talk: Mechanisms of Microbial Regulation of Host Immune Responses in Health and Disease. International Journal of Scholarly Resources, 18(2), 93-112.

Abstract

The gut microbiota, a diverse and intricate population of bacteria found in the gastrointestinal tract, interacts with the host immune system in a dynamic and mutually reinforcing manner. In addition to being essential for preserving homeostasis, this cross-talk is linked to the etiology of many illnesses when it is disturbed. This review describes how immune cell function and epithelial integrity are modulated by microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) and metabolites, such as bile acids, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and tryptophan derivatives, via pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and other host sensors. In the gut mucosa and throughout the body, we examine how the microbiota informs and regulates the activity of important immune cells, such as T helper 17 (Th17) cells, regulatory T (Treg) cells, and innate lymphoid cells (ILCs). We also examine how immune dysregulation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic diseases, cancer, and neuroinflammatory illnesses is influenced by dysbiosis, a change in the microbial ecosystem. Finally, we discuss new therapeutic approaches that attempt to rebalance immune responses by modifying the gut microbiota, including postbiotics, prebiotics, and next-generation probiotics (live biotherapeutic products). The importance of the gut-immune axis in both health and disease is emphasized in this review, along with the possibility for new treatments that target this interface.

Keywords: Gut Microbiota, Dysbiosis, Immune Regulation, Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs), Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)

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