Abstract
The human body is host to large numbers of bacteriophages (phages)–a diverse group of bacterial viruses that infect bacteria. Phage were previously regarded as bystanders that only impacted immunity indirectly via effects on the mammalian microbiome. However, it has become clear that phages also impact immunity directly, in ways that are typically anti-inflammatory. Phages can modulate innate immunity via phagocytosis and cytokine responses, but also impact adaptive immunity via effects on antibody production and effector polarization. Phages may thereby have profound effects on the outcome of bacterial infections by modulating the immune response. In this review we highlight the diverse ways in which phages interact with human cells. We present a computational model for predicting these complex and dynamic interactions. These models predict that the phageome may play important roles in shaping mammalian-bacterial interactions.
Highlights
Commensal microorganisms colonize and live in symbiosis with the human body and encompass diverse phyla from the three domains of life: Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria
These efforts have yielded a wealth of insight about the composition of human-associated bacterial communities, how these resident bacteria interact with the immune system and how bacterial-immune system interactions are altered in disease [1,4,5]
The use of phages or phage-derived proteins as anti-inflammatory agents can lead to a possible new type of anti-inflammatory drugs with a new mode of action in comparison to the classic non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
Summary
Commensal microorganisms colonize and live in symbiosis with the human body and encompass diverse phyla from the three domains of life: Eukarya, Archaea, and Bacteria. The bacterial component of the human microbiota and its associated genes have been a primary focus of research efforts over the past two decades [1,2,3]. These efforts have yielded a wealth of insight about the composition of human-associated bacterial communities, how these resident bacteria interact with the immune system and how bacterial-immune system interactions are altered in disease [1,4,5]. Viruses 2019, 11, 10 complex and dynamic interactions This model predicts that our phageome may play important roles in shaping mammalian-bacterial interactions, underlying the important effect of phage induced anti-inflammatory properties. The gaps in our knowledge and potential future lines of investigation are highlighted
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