Microbiota, mucosal immunity and antibiotics: the fineness of the interaction
I.G. Kozlov

D. Rogachev National Medical Research Center for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology, Moscow

There is a multi-level system for protecting the body from foreign infectious and chemical agents, known as «mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue» (MALT), in the barrier tissues (mucosa and skin). It includes humoral factors and cells of congenital and adaptive immunity, as well as non-immune defense mechanisms. One of the important components of protecting barrier tissues is the microbiota, whose commensals, on the one hand, carry out metabolic function and direct anti-pathogenic activity, and, on the other hand, constantly stimulate MALT at different levels and, thus, support the immunity of barrier tissues in the state of «smoldering activation” and readiness for a rapid response to the invasion of foreign organisms or substances. Antibiotics, being one of the most frequently prescribed medications, disrupt the number, composition and activity of symbiotic microorganisms. As a consequence, the immunity of barrier tissues is weakened, which contributes to the colonization of mucous and skin by pathogenic microorganisms and, in particular, their antibiotic-resistant strains. Awareness of this fact requires a change in the tactics of prescribing antibiotics and the introduction of additional medications to maintain MALT activity. Candidate drugs to supplement etiotropic anti-infective therapy are microbial-associated molecular patterns (MAMP) or, that is more real from the pharmacologycal point of view, their minimal biologically active fragments (MBAF).

Key words: mucosal immunity, microbiota, antibiotics, immunosuppression, infections, antibiotic resistance, immunomodulation, replacement therapy.
For citation: Kozlov I.G. Microbiota, mucosal immunity and antibiotics: the fineness of the interaction // RMJ. 2018. № 8(I). P. 19–27.