The Role of Iron in Intestinal Mucus: Perspectives from Both the Host and Gut Microbiota

Although research on the role of iron in host immunity has a history spanning decades, it is only relatively recently that attention has been directed toward the biological effects of iron on the intestinal mucus layer, prompted by an evolving understanding of the role of this material in immune defense. The mucus layer, secreted by intestinal goblet cells, covers the intestinal epithelium, and given its unique location, interactions between the host and gut microbiota, as well as among constituent microbiota, occur frequently within the mucus layer. Iron, as an essential nutrient for the vast majority of life forms, regulates immune responses from both the host and microbial perspectives. In this review, we summarize the iron metabolism of both the host and gut microbiota and describe how iron contributes to intestinal mucosal homeostasis via the intestinal mucus layer with respect to both host and constituent gut microbiota. The findings described herein offer a new perspective on iron-mediated intestinal mucosal barrier function.