Commensal-specific immune responses at the intestinal mucosa

The intestinal mucosa harbors a dense community of microbes that breaks down polysaccharides indigestible by the host, synthesizes essential vitamins, stimulates maturation of the immune system, and outcompetes the growth of pathogenic species. In return, the host provides commensals with a habitat rich in energy derived from ingested food. The intestinal immune system faces the daunting task of maintaining homeostasis despite the enormous load and diversity of antigens present at this site. Failure to maintain this balance has dramatic consequences and can cause food allergies, inflammatory bowel disease or invasive infections. Peripherally-induced Foxp3⁺-regulatory T cells (pTregs) maintain immune homeostasis at the intestinal mucosa by regulating effector T cell responses against dietary antigens and microbes.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctoral

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Biology

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2020

Author dc:creator

• Bousbaine, Djenet.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Hidde Ploegh.

• Biology.

Statement dc:rights

• MIT theses may be protected by copyright. Please reuse MIT thesis content according to the MIT Libraries Permissions Policy, which is available through the URL provided.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/129900

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/129900