Intestinal Dysbiosis and Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Link between Gut Microbiota and the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Abstract

Characterization and understanding of gut microbiota has recently increased representing a wide research ð€„—eld, especially in autoimmune diseases. Gut microbiota is the major source of microbes which might exert beneð€„—cial as well as pathogenic effects on human health. Intestinal microbiome’s role as mediator of inð€„šammation has only recently emerged. Microbiota has been observed to differ in subjects with early rheumatoid arthritis compared to controls, and this ð€„—nding has commanded this study as a possible autoimmune process. Studies with intestinal microbiota have shown that rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by an expansion and/or decrease of bacterial groups as compared to controls. In this review, we present evidence linking intestinal dysbiosis with the autoimmune mechanisms involved in the development of rheumatoid arthritis.