Hajela Neerja, Ramakrishna B S, Nair G Balakrish, Abraham Philip, Gopalan Sarath, Ganguly Nirmal K
Yakult India Microbiota and Probiotic Science Foundation, 52, Okhla Industrial Estate, Phase 3, New Delhi, 110 020, India,
Indian J Gastroenterol. 2015 Mar;34(2):93-107. doi: 10.1007/s12664-015-0547-6. Epub 2015 Apr 29.
New insights from a rapidly developing field of research have ushered in a new era of understanding of the complexity of host-microbe interactions within the human body. The paradigm shift from culturing to metagenomics has provided an insight into the complex diversity of the microbial species that we harbor, revealing the fact that we are in fact more microbes than human cells. The largest consortium of these microbes resides in the gut and is called the gut microbiota. This new science has expanded the ability to document shifts in microbial populations to an unparalleled degree. It is now understood that signals from the microbiota provide trophic, nutritional, metabolic, and protective effects for the development and maintenance of the host digestive, immune, and neuroendocrine system. Evidence linking changes in the gut microbiota to gastrointestinal and extraintestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, diabetes, and celiac disease have begun to emerge recently. Probiotics act through diverse mechanisms positively affecting the composition and/or function of the commensal microbiota and alter host immunological responses. Well-controlled intervention trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analysis provide convincing evidence for the benefit of probiotics in prevention and treatment of gastrointestinal as well as extraintestinal disorders.
一个快速发展的研究领域带来的新见解，开启了对人体宿主-微生物相互作用复杂性理解的新时代。从培养技术到宏基因组学的范式转变，让我们得以洞察体内微生物物种的复杂多样性，揭示了一个事实：实际上，我们体内的微生物比人体细胞还要多。这些微生物中最大的群体存在于肠道中，被称为肠道微生物群。这一新兴科学将记录微生物种群变化的能力提升到了前所未有的程度。现在人们认识到，微生物群发出的信号为宿主消化、免疫和神经内分泌系统的发育与维持提供了营养、代谢和保护作用。最近，越来越多的证据表明，肠道微生物群的变化与胃肠道及肠外疾病（如肠易激综合征、炎症性肠病、肥胖症、糖尿病和乳糜泻）有关。益生菌通过多种机制发挥作用，对共生微生物群的组成和/或功能产生积极影响，并改变宿主的免疫反应。严格控制的干预试验、系统评价和荟萃分析为益生菌在预防和治疗胃肠道及肠外疾病方面的益处提供了令人信服的证据。
