A gut feeling about multiple sclerosis

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.              online article

The commensal microbiota is an important modulator of the immune response. Indeed, perturbations in commensal communities (referred to as dysbiosis) have been linked to multiple inflammatory conditions. Changes in the gut microbiota, for example, have been described in patients with MS and are thought to contribute to disease pathogenesis. However, little is known about the mechanisms involved. In PNAS, two independent studies describe the analysis of well-defined patient cohorts in combination with the use of in vitro and in vivo experimental systems to provide unique insights into the role of the gut microbiome in T cell dysregulation in MS.