The gut microbiota and the metabolic health of the host : Current Opinion in Gastroenterology (original) (raw)
SMALL INTESTINE: Edited by Fergus Shanahan
aAlimentary Pharmabiotic Centre
bSchool of Microbiology
cSchool of Pharmacy, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Correspondence to Cormac G.M. Gahan, Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland. Tel: +353 21 4901363; e-mail: [email protected]
Abstract
Purpose of review
It is clear that the metabolic activities of the gut microbiota significantly impact upon human health and disease.
Recent findings
Recent analyses have correlated alterations in microbial community structure with the onset of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease as well as inflammatory conditions of the intestine. This work has demonstrated the influence of diet upon the microbiota in disease states and has identified a number of microbial metabolites that orchestrate the crucial aspects of the host–microbe dialog. The microbial production of short-chain fatty acids, trimethylamine, acetaldehyde and inflammatory mediators has been shown to significantly impact upon the metabolic health of the host through pathways that influence satiety, gut permeability and immune function. In the small intestine, microbial metabolism alters the host bile acid profile affecting the interactions with dedicated bile acid receptors (including FXR and TGR5) to influence both local and systemic cellular responses. Recent findings have, therefore, identified specific microbiota profiles and metabolites as predictors of disease risk as well as determining the microbial species (such as Akkermansia muciniphila and Bilophila wadsworthia) which correlate with health and disease.
Summary
This work identifies the microbiota as an important target for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in metabolic disease.
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