Herrera Matthew, Byerley Lauri O
Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA.
Nutrients. 2025 Jul 20;17(14):2373. doi: 10.3390/nu17142373.
In recent years, gut microbiota has emerged as a critical regulator of gastrointestinal health and disease, with its role in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)-including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis-being particularly significant. Among the many factors influencing the gut microbiota, dietary components such as fibers, fats, and polyphenols have received substantial attention. However, nitrogen-containing compounds, such as amino acids, nitrates, urea, and even nucleic acids, such as purines, remain underexplored despite their integral role in shaping microbial ecology, host metabolism, and immune responses. Some of these compounds are metabolized by gut bacteria into bioactive molecules such as short-chain fatty acids, ammonia, and nitric oxide, which exert diverse effects on mucosal integrity and inflammation. IBD pathophysiology is characterized by chronic inflammation, microbial dysbiosis, and compromised epithelial barriers. Nitrogen metabolism contributes significantly to these processes by influencing microbial composition, metabolite production, and host immune pathways. The breakdown of various nitrogen-containing compounds in the body leads to the production of byproducts, such as ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, which have been implicated in mucosal damage and immune dysregulation. At the same time, nitrogen-derived molecules, such as short-chain fatty acids and nitric oxide, exhibit protective effects, underscoring the dual role of dietary nitrogen in health and disease. This narrative review highlights the complex interactions between dietary nitrogen sources, gut microbiota, and IBD pathogenesis. We summarize the mechanisms by which nitrogen compounds influence microbial dynamics, identify their contributions to inflammation and barrier dysfunction, and explore their therapeutic potential. Multidisciplinary approaches integrating clinical, metabolomic, and microbiome research are essential to unravel the full scope of nitrogen's role in gut health and identify novel therapeutic targets.
近年来，肠道微生物群已成为胃肠道健康与疾病的关键调节因子，其在炎症性肠病（IBD）（包括克罗恩病和溃疡性结肠炎）中的作用尤为显著。在影响肠道微生物群的众多因素中，膳食纤维、脂肪和多酚等饮食成分受到了广泛关注。然而，含氮化合物，如氨基酸、硝酸盐、尿素，甚至嘌呤等核酸，尽管它们在塑造微生物生态、宿主代谢和免疫反应中起着不可或缺的作用，但仍未得到充分研究。其中一些化合物被肠道细菌代谢为生物活性分子，如短链脂肪酸、氨和一氧化氮，这些分子对黏膜完整性和炎症产生多种影响 IBD 的病理生理学特征为慢性炎症、微生物失调和上皮屏障受损。氮代谢通过影响微生物组成、代谢产物生成和宿主免疫途径，对这些过程有显著贡献。体内各种含氮化合物的分解会产生氨和硫化氢等副产物，这些副产物与黏膜损伤和免疫失调有关。与此同时，氮衍生分子，如短链脂肪酸和一氧化氮，具有保护作用，这凸显了饮食中的氮在健康和疾病中的双重作用。这篇叙述性综述强调了饮食氮源、肠道微生物群和 IBD 发病机制之间的复杂相互作用。我们总结了氮化合物影响微生物动态的机制，确定它们对炎症和屏障功能障碍的作用，并探索它们的治疗潜力。整合临床、代谢组学和微生物组研究的多学科方法对于全面了解氮在肠道健康中的作用并确定新的治疗靶点至关重要。
