Microbiota biodiversity in inflammatory bowel disease.

Gut microbiota plays a significant role in human health and energy balance, and provides protection against disease states. An altered balance between microbiota and its host (dysbiosis) would appear to contribute to the development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Crohn's Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC). CD and UC are chronic inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that occur in genetically susceptible individuals. Several genes of susceptibility are involved in inappropriate activation of intestinal mucosal immune responses, such as NOD2, IL-23 R and ATG16L1. In host susceptibility, immune dysregulation determines loss of tolerance against resident intestinal microbiota. Vast potential exists for manipulating the gut microbiota for therapeutic effect, such as use of probiotics and fecal microbiota transplantation. More research is needed to rationally target microbe-directed therapies.