Departmental Seminar Programme, Department of Veterinary Medicine
OF WORMS, GERMS AND MEN: A ROLE FOR THE GUT MICROBIOTA IN HELMINTH-INDUCED SUPPRESSION OF INFLAMMATION
http://talks.cam.ac.uk/talk/index/56585
Dr Cinzia Cantacessi, Department of Veterinary Medicine
Wednesday 17 June 2015, 16:00 – 17:00 Lecture Theatre 2, Department of Veterinary Medicine
Multiple recent investigations have highlighted the promise of helminth-based therapies for the treatment of inflammatory disorders of the intestinal tract of humans, including inflammatory bowel disease and coeliac disease. However, the mechanisms by which helminths regulate immune responses, leading to the amelioration of symptoms of chronic inflammation are unknown. Given the pivotal roles of the intestinal microbiota in the pathogenesis of these disorders, it has been hypothesized that helminth-induced modifications of the gut commensal flora may be responsible for the therapeutic properties of gastrointestinal parasites. This presentation will review recent progress in the elucidation of the host-parasite-microbiota interactions in humans, and provide a working hypothesis on the role of the gut microbiota in helminth-induced suppression of inflammation.