Project 467236

One of the most common and debilitating diseases of the digestive tract is inflammatory bowels disease (IBD), which can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract due to chronic inflammation. Over the past few years, living organisms in the gut, otherwise known as the microbiota, have come into the spotlight as one of the key players in maintaining the health of the digestive tract. There is evidence that the microbiota is directly related to the occurrence of IBD; however, the mechanism through which the microbiota influences the severity and development of IBD is still unclear. We aim to investigate the effects of microbiota of varying diversity on IBD. We have established ;dirty mice by transplanting the bacteria of pet store or ;wild mice into cleaner lab mice, which are called ;rewilded mice. With the new addition, we will have mice with three different microbiota diversities: germ free mice being the cleanest, specific pathogen free (SPF) mice being the next, and rewilded mice being the dirtiest. By comparing the different mouse models, we will use a model of IBD to investigate how the immune cells, more specifically T cells, that control disease are altered in different environments. A nested aim within the previous, we want to look at how the specific types of microbiota that affect IBD. For instance, how does having or lacking nematodes affect the susceptibility to disease and the function of the T cells? Improving our understanding of the interaction between the microbiota and T cells can further unveil how the organisms in the gut can influence not only the capability of the immune system but also the greater health of the individual.