Colitis-associated gut microbiome bacteria

Colitis-associated gut microbiome bacteria refers to the complex and altered community of microorganisms found in the intestines of patients with inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis. This state, known as dysbiosis, is characterized by a significant reduction in the diversity of beneficial bacteria, particularly those from the phyla Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes that produce anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids (Sartor RB, Wu GD. Gastroenterology. 2017;152(2):327-339). Concurrently, there is an expansion of pro-inflammatory pathobionts, such as Adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC), which can penetrate the protective mucus layer and trigger innate immune responses (Darfeuille-Michaud A, et al. Gastroenterology. 2004;127(2):412-421). These bacteria are targeted therapeutically through interventions like fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), which aims to restore a healthy microbial balance and has shown efficacy in inducing remission in ulcerative colitis (Costello SP, et al. JAMA. 2019;321(2):156-164). Other treatments include targeted antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics designed to modulate the microbial environment and enhance the intestinal barrier (Parada Venegas D, et al. Front Immunol. 2019;10:277). Monitoring the composition and metabolic activity of these bacteria serves as a vital tool for assessing disease progression and the effectiveness of microbiome-based therapies.

Other names

IBD-associated microbiotaGut dysbiosisColitogenic microbiotaIntestinal pathobiontsUlcerative colitis-associated microbiome

Therapeutic strategies aim to restore microbial homeostasis by eliminating pro-inflammatory pathobionts, replenishing beneficial commensal species, and increasing the production of anti-inflammatory metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).