Gut virome: New key players in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease

Figure 3 Activation of positive feedback inflammatory response through induction of latent prophage and lysis of bacterial host cell. (1) Intestinal inflammation induces gut mucosa to generate stressors (like reactive oxygen species [ROS] and reactive nitrogen species [RNS]); (2) Production of stressors aggregates the stressor response (SOS) in the bacterial host cell (SOS reaction) and redox imbalance; (3) This imbalance leads to damage of bacterial DNA and induction of latent phage; (4) Switch to lytic cycle with subsequent bacterial cell rupture; (5) Accumulation of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) as lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and DNA, that results from bacterial lysis; (6) PAMPs activate receptors in the gut mucosa and stimulate the production of more stressors.