Gut microbiome and intestinal environment (GM)

The gut microbiome and intestinal environment represent a complex ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that reside within the human gastrointestinal tract (NIH, 2020). This system performs essential biological functions such as the fermentation of non-digestible dietary fibers into short-chain fatty acids, the synthesis of vitamins like B12 and K, and the regulation of the host immune system (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2022). Dysbiosis, or the imbalance of this microbial community, is strongly associated with various diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), metabolic syndrome, and Clostridioides difficile infections (PubMed, 2021). Although it is not a single molecular target like a receptor or enzyme, the microbiome is therapeutically modulated using antibiotics, probiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to restore homeostasis (Science, 2023). Recent advancements have led to the FDA approval of microbiome-based therapeutics, such as Vowst and Rebyota, which aim to prevent the recurrence of C. difficile by replenishing healthy bacterial populations (FDA, 2023). Understanding the metabolic outputs and ecological interactions within this environment is critical for the development of next-generation precision medicines targeting the gut-brain and gut-lung axes.

Other names

Gut microbiotaIntestinal floraGastrointestinal microbiomeGut-associated lymphoid tissue environmentIntestinal ecosystem

Therapeutic modulation involves the restoration of microbial diversity, competitive exclusion of pathogenic species, and the alteration of microbial metabolic pathways to produce beneficial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).