The Front Line of Enteric Host Defense against Unwelcome Intrusion of Harmful Microorganisms: Mucins, Antimicrobial Peptides, and Microbiota
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SUMMARY: The intestinal tract is a complex ecosystem that combines resident microbiota and the cells of various phenotypes with complex metabolic activities that line the epithelial wall. The intestinal cells that make up the epithelium provide physical and chemical barriers that protect the host against the unwanted intrusion of microorganisms that hijack the cellular molecules and signaling pathways of the host and become pathogenic. Some of the organisms making up the intestinal microbiota also have microbicidal effects that contribute to the barrier against enteric pathogens. This review describes the two cell lineages present in the intestinal epithelium: the goblet cells and the Paneth cells, both of which play a pivotal role in the first line of enteric defense by producing mucus and antimicrobial peptides, respectively. We also analyze recent insights into the intestinal microbiota and the mechanisms by which some resident species act as a barrier to enteric pathogens. Moreover, this review examines whether the cells producing mucins or antimicrobial peptides and the resident microbiota act in partnership and whether they function individually and/or synergistically to provide the host with an effective front line of defense against harmful enteric pathogens.
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Probiotic bacteria first bind to mucin before reaching the epithelial layer of the intestine.
“Probiotic bacteria first bind to mucin before it reaches the epithelial layer of the intestine.”
From EVALUATION OF ADHESIVE AND AGGREGATION PROPERTIES OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM DIFFERENT BIOTOPES (2025) · cites this paper as [8]
Intestinal pathogens possess enzymes that degrade mucin and cross the protective barrier, leading to infection.
“Intestinal pathogens possess enzymes that degrade mucin and cross the protective barrier, leading to infection [8].”
From EVALUATION OF ADHESIVE AND AGGREGATION PROPERTIES OF LACTIC ACID BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM DIFFERENT BIOTOPES (2025) · cites this paper as [8]
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“Intestinal pathogens possess enzymes that degrade mucin and cross the protective barrier, leading to infection [8].”
- Authors
- Liévin-Le Moal, V., & Servin, A. L.
- Affiliations
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Unité 756, Signalisation et Physiopathologie des Cellules Epithéliales, Faculté de Pharmacie Paris XI, F-92296 Chātenay-Malabry, France
- Inserm (FR)
- Venue
- Clinical Microbiology Reviews
- Publisher
- American Society for Microbiology
- Published
- 2006-04
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 315-337
- ISSN
- 0893-8512 (ISSN-L)
- 1098-6618
- PMC
- PMC1471992
- OpenAlex
- W2129785704
- Cited by
- 568
- References
- 14
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 23 · 2024: 32 · 2023: 24 · 2022: 29 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 23 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 33 · 2016: 22 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 40 · 2012: 33
- FWCI
- 1.78
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Clinical Microbiology Reviews (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- HAL (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gut microbiota and health
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Gastroenterology › Gastrointestinal motility and disorders
- Keywords
- intestinal epithelial barrier, mucin, antimicrobial peptides, gut microbiota, goblet cells, Paneth cells, mucus, enteric pathogens, host defense
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Antibiosis, Bacteria, Humans, Immunity, Innate, Intestinal Diseases, Intestinal Mucosa, Mucins, Species Specificity, Bacterial Physiological Phenomena, Paneth Cells, Goblet Cells, Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides
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