Gut microbiota composition and activity

The **gut microbiota composition and activity** refers to the collective community of microorganisms within the intestines, including their functional outputs (such as metabolite production and enzymatic activities). It is not a single specific molecular target, but rather a complex and dynamic ecosystem that can be pharmacologically or nutritionally modulated to impact health and disease. The gut microbiota influences immune system development, metabolic processes, protection against pathogens, and drug metabolism. Alterations in microbiota composition or activity (dysbiosis) have been implicated in diverse diseases including cancer, cardiovascular disorders, infections, inflammation, and metabolic and neurodegenerative diseases. Therapeutic strategies may involve antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, or drugs targeting specific microbial enzymes. Several microbial species and metabolites serve as biomarkers for disease outcomes and therapy responses, especially in oncology. Safety concerns stem from the risk of disrupting microbial balance or introducing infectious agents via transplantation, highlighting the need for targeted and individualized approaches[1][2][3][4][5]. **Note:** This entry is marked as **incorrect** (`is_incorrect: true`) because "Gut microbiota composition and/or activity" is not a canonical molecular target (such as a gene, protein, or well-defined receptor/enzyme) but rather describes a complex and highly variable collective property of the microbiome. While it is valid to therapeutically modulate the microbiome, it does not conform to standardized molecular target nomenclature.

Other names

Gut microbiomeintestinal microbiotaintestinal microbiome

Modulation of microbiota composition (e.g., by antibiotics, probiotics, prebiotics); Inhibition of bacterial enzymes (e.g., β-glucuronidase inhibitors to reduce drug toxicity); Alteration of microbial metabolites affecting host response (e.g., SCFAs, bile acids); Enhancement of immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy via microbiome modulation