1PaoneP,CaniPD.Gut2020;0:1–12.doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2020-322260RecentadvancesinbasicscienceMucusbarrier,mucinsandgutmicrobiota:theexpectedslimypartners?PaolaPaone,PatriceDCaniTocite:PaoneP,CaniPD.GutEpubaheadofprint:[pleaseincludeDayMonthYear].doi:10.1136/gutjnl-2020-322260MetabolismandNutritionResearchGroup,LouvainDrugResearchInstitute,WalloonExcellenceinLifeSciencesandBIOtechnology(WELBIO),UCLouvain,UniversitécatholiquedeLouvain,Brussels,BelgiumCorrespondencetoProfessorPatriceDCani,LouvainDrugResearchInstitute,WELBIO,MetabolismandNutrition,UCLouvain,UniversitécatholiquedeLouvain,AvenueE.Mounier,73B1.73.11B-1200,Brussels,Belgium;patrice.cani@uclouvain.beReceived17June2020Revised16July2020Accepted18July2020©Author(s)(ortheiremployer(s))2020.Re-usepermittedunderCCBY-NC.Nocommercialre-use.Seerightsandpermissions.PublishedbyBMJ.ABSTRACTThegastrointestinaltractisoftenconsideredasakeyorganinvolvedinthedigestionoffoodandprovidingnutrientstothebodyforpropermaintenance.However,thissystemiscomposedoforgansthatareextremelycomplex.Amongthedifferentparts,theintestineisviewedasanincrediblesurfaceofcontactwiththeenvironmentandiscolonisedbyhundredsoftrillionsofgutmicrobes.Theroleofthegutbarrierhasbeenstudiedfordecades,buttheexactmechanismsinvolvedintheprotectionofthegutbarrierarevariousandcomplementary.Amongthem,theintegrityofthemucusbarrierisoneofthefirstlinesofprotectionofthegastrointestinaltract.Inthepast,this’slimy’partnerwasmostlyconsideredasimplelubricantforfacilitatingtheprogressionofthefoodbolusandthestoolsinthegut.Sincethen,differentresearchershavemadeimportantprogress,andcurrently,theregulationofthismucusbarrierisgainingincreasingattentionfromthescientificcommunity.Amongthefactorsinfluencingthemucusbarrier,themicrobiomeplaysamajorroleindrivingmucuschanges.Additionally,ourdietaryhabits(ie,high-fatdiet,low-fibre/high-fibrediet,foodadditives,pre-probiotics)influencethemucusatdifferentlevels.Giventhatthemucuslayerhasbeenlinkedwiththeappearanceofdiseases,properknowledge...
