Research progress of intestinal flora in rheumatic immune diseases

Gut microbiota is composed of trillions of microorganisms inhabiting in the human gastrointestinal tract, profoundly influences many aspects of host physiology. The roles of gut microbiota have been investigated extensively in the gastrointestinal, endocrine, neurological, cardiovascular and immune systems. This article reviews the recent research progress on the function of microbes in healthy organisms, the common research methods for microbiota, and the roles of microbiota in rheumatic immune diseases. It is expected that gut microbiota would be a novel target of clinical diagnosis and treatment for rheumatic immune diseases. Key words: Spondylitis, ankylosing; Arthritis, rheumatoid; Osteoarthritis; Gout; Gut microbiota