Systemic inflammatory cytokines via gut microbiota modulation

Systemic inflammatory cytokines via gut microbiota modulation refers to the physiological process and therapeutic strategy of managing systemic inflammation by altering the composition and function of the intestinal microbiome. This pathway is not a single molecular target but a complex axis involving microbial species, their metabolites, and the host immune system. The gut microbiota plays a critical role in immune homeostasis by producing beneficial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which strengthen the intestinal barrier and suppress pro-inflammatory signaling (PMID: 24388214). When dysbiosis occurs, the intestinal barrier can become compromised, leading to "leaky gut" and the translocation of lipopolysaccharides (LPS) into the bloodstream, a condition known as metabolic endotoxemia (PMID: 17456850). This systemic presence of LPS triggers the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6), from immune cells (PMID: 33013611). Therapeutic interventions such as probiotics, prebiotics, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) aim to restore microbial diversity and barrier function to reduce these circulating inflammatory markers. This modulation is currently being explored as a treatment for various conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, metabolic syndrome, and neuroinflammatory disorders.

Other names

Gut-immune axisMicrobiota-cytokine axisGut-mediated systemic inflammationMicrobiota-mediated cytokine regulation

Modulation of gut microbial composition to enhance intestinal barrier integrity and reduce the translocation of pro-inflammatory microbial products like lipopolysaccharides, thereby decreasing the systemic production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (PMID: 33013611).