Department of Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, University of the Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan.
Women University Multan, Multan 66000, Pakistan.
Future Microbiol. 2018 Apr;13:589-603. doi: 10.2217/fmb-2017-0179. Epub 2018 Mar 13.
The human GI tract harbors a diverse and dynamic microbial community comprising bacteria, archaea, viruses and eukaryotic microbes, which varies in composition from individual to individual. A healthy microbiota metabolizes various indigestible dietary components of the host, maintains host immune homeostasis and nutrient intake, but, an imbalanced microbiota has been reported to be associated with many diseases, including obesity. Rodent studies have produced evidence in support of the causal role of the gut microbiota in the development of obesity, however, such causal relationship is lacking in humans. The objective of this review is to critically analyze the vast information available on the composition, function and alterations of the gut microbiota in obesity and explore the future prospects of this research area.
人类胃肠道中栖息着多种多样的微生物群落，包括细菌、古菌、病毒和真核微生物，其组成在个体之间存在差异。健康的微生物群落能够代谢宿主的各种不可消化的膳食成分，维持宿主的免疫平衡和营养摄入，但失衡的微生物群落已被报道与许多疾病有关，包括肥胖。啮齿动物研究为肠道微生物群在肥胖发展中的因果作用提供了证据，然而，在人类中这种因果关系尚缺乏。本综述的目的是批判性地分析肥胖症中肠道微生物群的组成、功能和变化的大量信息，并探讨该研究领域的未来前景。
