The keystone-pathogen hypothesis

TY - JOUR

T1 - The keystone-pathogen hypothesis

AU - Hajishengallis, George

AU - Darveau, Richard P.

AU - Curtis, Michael A.

PY - 2012/10

Y1 - 2012/10

N2 - Recent studies have highlighted the importance of the human microbiome in health and disease. However, for the most part the mechanisms by which the microbiome mediates disease, or protection from it, remain poorly understood. The keystone-pathogen hypothesis holds that certain low-abundance microbial pathogens can orchestrate inflammatory disease by remodelling a normally benign microbiota into a dysbiotic one. In this Opinion article, we critically assess the available literature that supports this hypothesis, which may provide a novel conceptual basis for the development of targeted diagnostics and treatments for complex dysbiotic diseases.

AB - Recent studies have highlighted the importance of the human microbiome in health and disease. However, for the most part the mechanisms by which the microbiome mediates disease, or protection from it, remain poorly understood. The keystone-pathogen hypothesis holds that certain low-abundance microbial pathogens can orchestrate inflammatory disease by remodelling a normally benign microbiota into a dysbiotic one. In this Opinion article, we critically assess the available literature that supports this hypothesis, which may provide a novel conceptual basis for the development of targeted diagnostics and treatments for complex dysbiotic diseases.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84867887781&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1038/nrmicro2873

DO - 10.1038/nrmicro2873

M3 - Review article

C2 - 22941505

AN - SCOPUS:84867887781

SN - 1740-1526

VL - 10

SP - 717

EP - 725

JO - Nature Reviews Microbiology

JF - Nature Reviews Microbiology

IS - 10

ER -