System-level metabolic and gut microbiota pathways

System-level metabolic and gut microbiota pathways refer to the integrated network of biochemical reactions and signaling events occurring between the human host and its resident intestinal microorganisms. These pathways involve the microbial fermentation of dietary fibers into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), the transformation of primary bile acids into secondary bile acids, and the synthesis of vitamins and neurotransmitters such as serotonin (Nature Reviews Microbiology, 2016). This complex interplay is fundamental to maintaining metabolic homeostasis, regulating the immune system, and protecting against pathogen colonization. Disruptions in these pathways, often termed dysbiosis, are strongly associated with chronic conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (Cell, 2012). Therapeutic strategies targeting this system include the use of probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), as well as drugs like metformin that exert part of their effect by altering the gut environment (Nature Medicine, 2017). Because this represents a multi-component biological system rather than a single protein or receptor, it serves as a framework for identifying specific molecular targets within the host-microbiome axis.

Other names

Gut-microbiome-metabolic axisHost-microbe metabolic integrationGut-brain-liver axisMicrobiome-metabolome interactions

Modulation of microbial community structure and the production of bioactive metabolites (e.g., short-chain fatty acids, secondary bile acids) to restore host physiological balance and metabolic homeostasis.