Gut microbiota and associated metabolites (GM/GMM)

The gut microbiota and associated metabolites represent a complex biological system comprising trillions of microorganisms and the diverse chemical compounds they produce, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids, and neurotransmitters (Fan & Pedersen, 2021). This ecosystem functions as a virtual organ that regulates host metabolism, maintains intestinal barrier integrity, and modulates the development and activity of the immune system (Nicholson et al., 2012). Dysbiosis, or the disruption of this microbial balance, is implicated in a wide range of pathologies, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), obesity, type 2 diabetes, and even neurodegenerative conditions via the gut-brain axis (Cryan et al., 2019). Therapeutic interventions targeting this system include fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), probiotics, prebiotics, and small molecules designed to inhibit specific microbial enzymes or sequester toxic metabolites like trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) (Wang et al., 2011). While drugs like SER-109 and Rifaximin have demonstrated clinical efficacy in modulating this target, challenges remain regarding the high inter-individual variability of the microbiome and the potential for unintended systemic effects (Khanna et al., 2022).

Other names

Gut microbiomeIntestinal floraGut microfloraMicrobial metabolomeCommensal microbiota

Modulation of microbial diversity and restoration of commensal populations to displace pathogens (Khanna et al., 2022); regulation of host signaling through microbial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids and bile acids (Koh et al., 2016); and sequestration or inhibition of harmful metabolites such as TMAO and uremic toxins (Wang et al., 2011; Schulman et al., 2015).