Gut microbiota and host intestinal environment

The gut microbiota refers to the complex community of microorganisms, including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses, residing in the human gastrointestinal tract, while the host intestinal environment encompasses the physical and chemical conditions of the gut. This system plays a critical role in human health by facilitating nutrient metabolism, synthesizing essential vitamins, and training the host immune system to distinguish between pathogens and commensals (NIH, 2022). Dysregulation of this ecosystem, known as dysbiosis, is linked to a wide range of conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic disorders like obesity and diabetes, and even neurological conditions via the gut-brain axis (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2018). Therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiota include the use of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) to restore microbial balance and improve host health (StatPearls, 2023). Additionally, many systemic drugs, such as metformin and certain immunotherapies, have been shown to interact with or depend on the gut microbiota for their efficacy and safety profiles (PubMed, 2017).

Other names

Gut microbiomeIntestinal floraEnteric microbiotaGastrointestinal microbiotaHost-microbe interface

Therapeutic modulation involves the restoration of microbial diversity, the suppression of pathobionts through competitive exclusion, and the alteration of host-microbe metabolic signaling pathways, such as the production of short-chain fatty acids that activate host G protein-coupled receptors (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2018).