Saxami Georgia, Kerezoudi Evangelia N, Eliopoulos Christos, Arapoglou Dimitrios, Kyriacou Adamantini
Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Harokopio University, 17671 Athens, Greece.
School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Örebro University, SE-701 82 Örebro, Sweden.
Life (Basel). 2023 Oct 8;13(10):2023. doi: 10.3390/life13102023.
The human gut microbiota (GM) is a complex microbial ecosystem that colonises the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and is comprised of bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. The GM has a symbiotic relationship with its host that is fundamental for body homeostasis. The GM is not limited to the scope of the GIT, but there are bidirectional interactions between the GM and other organs, highlighting the concept of the "gut-organ axis". Any deviation from the normal composition of the GM, termed "microbial dysbiosis", is implicated in the pathogenesis of various diseases. Only a few studies have demonstrated a relationship between GM modifications and disease phenotypes, and it is still unknown whether an altered GM contributes to a disease or simply reflects its status. Restoration of the GM with probiotics and prebiotics has been postulated, but evidence for the effects of prebiotics is limited. Prebiotics are substrates that are "selectively utilized by host microorganisms, conferring a health benefit". This study highlights the bidirectional relationship between the gut and vital human organs and demonstrates the relationship between GM dysbiosis and the emergence of certain representative diseases. Finally, this article focuses on the potential of prebiotics as a target therapy to manipulate the GM and presents the gaps in the literature and research.
人类肠道微生物群（GM）是一个复杂的微生物生态系统，定殖于胃肠道（GIT），由细菌、病毒、真菌和原生动物组成。GM与其宿主存在共生关系，这对身体内环境稳态至关重要。GM并不局限于GIT的范围，GM与其他器官之间存在双向相互作用，突出了“肠-器官轴”的概念。GM正常组成的任何偏差，即所谓的“微生物失调”，都与各种疾病的发病机制有关。只有少数研究证明了GM改变与疾病表型之间的关系，GM改变是导致疾病还是仅仅反映疾病状态仍不清楚。已推测使用益生菌和益生元恢复GM，但益生元作用的证据有限。益生元是“被宿主微生物选择性利用并带来健康益处的底物”。本研究强调了肠道与人体重要器官之间的双向关系，并证明了GM失调与某些代表性疾病发生之间的关系。最后，本文重点探讨了益生元作为一种调控GM的靶向治疗方法的潜力，并指出了文献和研究中的空白。
