Gut microbiome’s role in diseases

The human gut microbiome (GM) is a huge microbial community that shows an irreplaceable role in human life.

THE FUNDAMENTAL

MECHANISMS of GM on human diseases are incredibly difficult.

Recent studies focusses on regulation and mechanism of cardiovascular diseases,

GM on neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic diseases and gastrointestinal diseases, providing a potential target for the prevention and treatment of disease. The human gut microbiota is a dynamic and complex ecosystem inhabited by a myriad of microorganisms interrelating with each other and with the human host, including bacteria, archae, fungi and viruses. As the leading micro-ecosystem in the human body, GM is interdependent with the host and preserves normal physiological procedures in a dynamic equilibrium state. In recent years, with the rapid development of molecular biology, bioinformatics analysis technology, genomics, and high throughput sequencing technology, the GM has made rapid progress. Evidence has shown GM disorder and its metabolites play a key role in maintaining host intestinal homeostasis and influencing the expansion of many diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and gastrointestinal diseases. The imbalance of GM will affect the health of the host through many ways, such as energy absorption, short chain fatty acids, choline, gut-brain axis, bile acids, and so on. The association between GM and neurodegenerative disease has come to the attention of the medical community.

An increasing number of studies suggested that GM can modulate nervous, endocrine, and immune communication finished the gut-brain axis. GM is closely connected to human health and diseases, which bring great occasions for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of diseases. Intestinal microbes are beneficial to disease treatment and promote overall immune health. The interactions between host immune systems, gut microbes, and diseases are not only complex but also highly dynamic. Presently, there are few effective methods for the treatment of clinical diseases by regulating intestinal flora. Aiming the composition and metabolic function of intestinal flora may be a new option for the prevention and treatment of diseases.

PROBIOTICS

Nobel laureate Elie Metchnikoff introduced the concept of probiotics to the scientific community. He published a seminal report linking the longevity of Bulgarians with consumption of fermented milk products containing viable Lactobacilli (Metchnikoff and Mitchell, 1907). This observation suggested that certain microbes, when ingested, could be beneficial for human health. Mechanisms of probiosis include manipulation of intestinal microbial communities, suppression of pathogens, immunomodulation, stimulation of epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation and fortification of the intestinal barrier. Probiotics have been proposed as preventive and therapeutic measures, in order to restore the healthy composition and function of the GM.

Metagenomic, metatranscriptomic and metabonomics can be deployed to globally examine interactions between probiotics, intestinal microbes and the mammalian gastrointestinal tract.

New types of probiotics or medicinal compounds derived from the microbiome may be used as future strategies to promote health, prevent disease, and treat different disorders.

REFERENCES

Farooq S. Significance of Gut Microbiome Role in Human Diseases. J Prob Health. 2022;10:255. Hemarajata P, Versalovic J. Effects of probiotics on gut microbiota: mechanisms of intestinal immunomodulation and neuromodulation. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2013;6(1):39-51. doi:10.1177/1756283X12459294.