Gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal environment

The gut microbiota and intestinal mucosal environment constitute a complex, multi-kingdom ecosystem and a multi-layered host barrier essential for maintaining systemic homeostasis. This system involves a symbiotic relationship where trillions of microbes assist in the fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates, the production of essential metabolites like short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and the maturation of the host immune system (NIH, 2023). The mucosal environment provides a physical and chemical interface, consisting of a mucus layer, antimicrobial peptides, and a single layer of epithelial cells joined by tight junctions that prevent the translocation of luminal contents (Nature Reviews Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2020). Disruptions to this delicate balance, known as dysbiosis or "leaky gut," are strongly associated with the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), obesity, and colorectal cancer (Cell, 2021). Pharmacological and therapeutic strategies targeting this environment include the use of probiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), and targeted antibiotics like rifaximin to restore microbial diversity and reinforce barrier function (Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, 2022).

Other names

Gut microbiomeIntestinal floraGut-mucosal barrierGastrointestinal ecosystemIntestinal microbiota

Modulation of microbial diversity, enhancement of intestinal barrier integrity, and regulation of host-microbe metabolic signaling.