Gut microbiota and downstream host signaling pathways

The gut microbiota and downstream host signaling pathways represent a complex bidirectional communication system essential for human health. This system functions primarily through the production of microbial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids, and neurotransmitters, which serve as ligands for host receptors including G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and Toll-like receptors (TLRs) (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2020). These interactions are critical for maintaining metabolic homeostasis, modulating the immune system, and influencing the enteric and central nervous systems (Cell, 2019). Disruptions in these signaling pathways, often termed dysbiosis, are implicated in a wide range of diseases, including obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and various neurodegenerative disorders (Science, 2021). Current therapeutic strategies include the use of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to restore microbial balance, as well as the development of small molecules that target specific downstream host receptors (Journal of Clinical Investigation, 2021). Understanding these pathways allows for the development of precision medicine approaches that leverage the microbiome to treat systemic diseases (Frontiers in Immunology, 2022).

Other names

Gut-host axisMicrobiome-host signalingGut-brain-immune axisMicrobiota-metabolite-signaling axisCommensal microbiota signaling

Modulation of microbial composition and the subsequent production of bioactive metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), secondary bile acids, and indole derivatives that activate host-specific receptors including GPR41, GPR43, TGR5, and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR).