Bacterial imbalance and gut pathologies: Association and contribution of E. coli in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

Hosts and microbes have co-evolved over millions of years. Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), including Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), are chronic immune-mediated diseases. Although the etiology of IBD remains an enigma, various studies have proposed the involvement of mucosa-associated Escherichia coli (E. coli) strains in the pathogenesis of IBD. E. coli, a usual inhabitant of the intestine, causes disease after acquiring virulence factors; however, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not well understood. In the present review, we will discuss recent findings on how gut E. coli regulates and controls gut homeostasis and the pathogenesis of IBD. We will also summarize current knowledge regarding the cause, mechanism, genetics, and environmental factors involved in the regulation of IBD. Furthermore, we will discuss the possibility of alterations in innate and acquired immunity during the course of disease as well as possible treatment.

Keywords:

• Bacteria
• E. coli
• etiology
• dysbiosis
• immune system
• IBD

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge the support of the Research Centre College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the services, facilities, and funding for the present work.