1. Gut Microbiota Dysbiosis and Immune Dysregulation
Gut epithelial cells and the mucosa serve as physical barriers against infection and endotoxemia. Gut microbiota metabolites, such as SCFA (short chain fatty acids) and secondary bile acids, also regulate gut permeability via immunomodulation. Of note, another gut-microbiota-derived metabolite inosine, produced by
Bifidobacterium and
A. muciniphila, heightens Th1 differentiation and effector function of naïve T cells
[1]. Gut microbiota-mediated immune responses are essential for preventing intestinal permeability. It is hypothesized that gut microbiota dysbiosis increases intestinal permeability from a ‘leaky gut,’ which allows opportunistic pathogens and their microbial products/toxins to invade the bloodstream and ultimately mount an inflammatory response
[2][3][4]. Support for this idea comes from a number of known metabolites, such as phenolic and sulfur-containing compounds, that can harm the intestinal epithelia
[5], disrupt intercellular tight junctions
[6], and promote bacterial translocation
[7]. These consequences, which also include immune cell dysfunction and inability to eliminate the invading pathogens, lead to inflammatory diseases
[8][9]. This section of the entry will discuss the microbiota-immune axis in prevalent intra- and extraintestinal diseases (
Figure 1 and
Table 1).
Figure 1. Gut microbiota dysbiosis gives rise to several pathophysiological conditions. Gut microbiota dysbiosis can be induced by diet, antibiotics, and genetic factors. Gut microbiota dysbiosis can cause and sustain cancers, such as colorectal cancer and hepatocellular carcinoma, along with inflammatory diseases, autoimmune conditions, and cardiometabolic disorders. Gut microbiota dysbiosis-induced immune dysregulation is another etiological factor for disease among the many others listed, including age, sex, and medication.
Table 1. Summary of gut microbiota–immune axis in various diseases.
2. Gastrointestinal Infections
Depending on the context, the gut microbiota can either protect the host or increase risk of infection from exogenous pathogens. The role of the microbiome as a protective force is supported by research indicating that immature microbiomes of neonates are more susceptible to invasion by pathobionts
[10]. There are several different mechanisms in which commensals can prevent colonization by pathogens and protect against infections, including competing for resources, releasing bacteriophages, and producing antimicrobial metabolites
[26][27][28][29][30]. In contrast, microbiome metabolites, such as 4-methyl benzoic acid, 3,4-dimethylbenzoic acid, hexanoic acid, and heptanoic acid, have been shown to increase colonic epithelial damage, as seen by enterohemorrhagic
E. coli in an organ-on-a-chip model
[11]. Moreover, supernatant taken from commensal
Escherichia albertii can also increase virulence of diarrheagenic
E. coli species, resulting in a TLR5-mediated increase in IL-8 and an overall increased pro-inflammatory response by host intestinal cells
[31].
Presence of certain commensals and changes in microbiome composition are linked to infection susceptibility by organisms such as
Clostridium difficile,
Salmonella typhimurium,
Escherichia coli, vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus spp., and
Citrobacter rodentium [27][28][30][32][33][34]. One of the best examples involves CDI, where innate immune cells are stimulated by
C. difficile-toxins through the inflammasome and the TLR4, TLR5, and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 1 (NOD1) signaling pathways
[35][36]. Numerous pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as interleukin (IL)-12, IL-1β, IL-18, interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)) and chemokines (MIP-1a, MIP-2, and IL-8) are subsequently produced, resulting in increased mucosal permeability, mast cell degranulation, epithelial cell death, and neutrophilic infiltration
[37]. Importantly, CDI is usually a result of antibiotic-mediated disruption of the gut microbiota
[38]. Eradication of beneficial bacteria in the gut by certain antibiotics, particularly clindamycin, enables
C. difficile to flourish
[39], resulting in colitis and subsequent diarrhea
[40][41]. Besides gut microbiota dysbiosis, immune cell populations, such as Th17- and IL-17-expressing cells, can promote recurrent CDI
[42]. Comparatively, IL-33-activated ILCs can prevent CDI
[43]. As gut microbiota depletion is a main cause for CDI, interventions that restore microbes could be of therapeutic value.
Prebiotics, such as dietary fiber and their fermented byproducts, i.e., SCFA, are possible treatments for CDI. For instance, dietary fibers, such as pectin, were able to restore gut microbiota eubiosis (denoted by increased
Lachnospiraceae and decreased
Enterobacteriaceae) and alleviate inflammation following
C. difficile-induced colitis
[44]. The butyrate producing bacterium
Clostridium butyricum was similarly found to protect against CDI by increasing neutrophils, Th1, and Th17 cells in the early phase of infection; this was independent of GPR43 and GPR109a signaling
[45]. As mentioned in
Section 6.2, CDI can be effectively treated by FMT
[46]. FMT is further supported in a prior study that showed that a Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutic, consisting of 33 bacterial strains isolated from human stool, could treat antibiotic-resistant
C. difficile colitis
[47]. Of note, similar observations were seen when the Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutic was applied to
Salmonella typhimurium infection
[48]. These findings emphasize that appropriate modulation of the gut microbiota and immune responses are imperative for preventing and fighting against infection.
3. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) develop due to defects in various factors, such as environment, gut microbes, immune system, and genetic factors. IBD involves chronic inflammation of the GIT. Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) are two distinct clinical conditions of IBD based on histopathological features, location of disease in the GIT, and symptoms
[49]. In IBD, mucolytic bacteria and pathogenic bacteria degrade the mucosal barrier and increase the invasion of pathogens into deep intestinal tissues
[12][50][51][52]. Alterations in the gut microbiota composition have been highly linked to the development and progression of IBD. IBD patients show reduced populations of Firmicutes and an expansion of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes,
Enterobacteriaceae, and
Bilophila [53][54][55]. In addition, many pro-inflammatory bacterial species are coated with IgA, as seen in IBD patients and colitis mouse models
[56][57]. Gut microbes appear to play a direct role in IBD development on the basis of the evidence that germ-free mice are protected against colitis
[58]. This is reinforced by the discovery that implantation of gut microbes from IBD mice to germ-free mice resulted in IBD for the latter group
[58]. Likewise, dams with IBD can essentially transfer an ‘IBD microbiota’ to the offspring, for which the pups have reduced microbial diversity and fewer class-switched memory B cells and Treg cells in the colon
[59]. The strong link between microbiota and IBD has moved forward metagenomic approaches to help better identify diagnostic and therapeutic targets
[60].
FMT is proposed as a potential treatment, where treated UC patients were found to have an increased abundance of
Faecalibaterium that corresponded with less RORγt
+ Th17 cells and more Foxp3
+ CD4
+ Treg cells
[61]. Administration of SCFAs is also thought to be a potential therapeutic for IBD patients
[62]. Supporting evidence includes butyrate-mediated inhibition of pro-inflammatory neutrophil responses, i.e., NETs in colitic mice
[63]. There are conflicting reports as to whether dietary fiber, the precursor for SCFA, could be a beneficial intervention for IBD patients. On one side, a specific multi-fiber mix was found to counteract intestinal inflammation via increasing IL-10 and Treg cells
[64]. Opposingly, the research findings indicate a dichotomy in prebiotic fiber reactions for colitic mice, where pectin could alleviate inflammation compared with inulin, which aggravated the disease pathology
[65]. Moreover, the researchers' study suggested that butyrate could be a detrimental microbial metabolite by increasing NLRP3 inflammatory signaling
[65]. A probiotic cocktail, comparatively, alleviated inflammation by shifting the gut microbiota to an anti-inflammatory profile which included
Akkermansia and
Bifidobacterium [66]. These findings collectively indicate that more investigation is required to understand prebiotic fibers and SCFAs in IBD before implementing it in the clinics.
In addition to SCFA, secondary bile acids are implicated in IBD. DCA has been well-established to induce intestinal inflammation
[67][68]. This could be due, in part, to bile-acid-mediated inhibition of Paneth cell function
[69]. Yet, cholecystectomy-associated secondary bile acids, including DCA, ameliorated colitis in mice by inhibiting monocytes/macrophages recruitment
[70]. Moreover, UDCA can also lower colitis severity by preventing the loss of
Clostridium cluster XIVa and increasing the abundance of
A. muciniphila [71]. The varying effects of bile acids could be related to their chemical structure and potential conjugated moieties. For instance, sulphated secondary bile acids may exert more pro-inflammatory effects compared with their unconjugated counterparts, as seen in IBD patients
[72]. Certainly, more metabolomic profiling is necessary to understand the bile acid profile in IBD patients and determine the pro- or anti-inflammatory effects for each type of bile acid. In general, it appears that both SCFA and secondary bile acids have anti-inflammatory effects in the intestine.
Several susceptibility genes that increase risk for IBD have been identified in recent years. Current research is focused on the idea that genetic predisposition, dysbiosis, and environmental factors, such as antibiotics, work in concert toward IBD. Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2 (NOD2, an immunological intracellular recognition protein) identifies intracellular muramyl dipeptide (MDP), an integral component of bacterial cell walls
[73]. Loss of NOD2 function impairs inhibition of TLR2-mediated activation of NF-κB, resulting in an overactive Th1 response and weakened immunological tolerance to microbes
[73]. Moreover, several other genes that increase susceptibility to IBD, including autophagy-related 16-like 1 (ATG16L1), caspase recruitment domain-containing protein 9 (Card9), and C-type lectin domain family 7 member A (CLEC7A), dysregulate T cell responses and create gut microbiota dysbiosis, also contributing to IBD
[74][75][76]. Future studies should explore whether there are single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes related to microbial metabolite production for IBD patients.
4. Colorectal Carcinoma (CRC)
A growing body of literature suggests a role for microbiota in the development and progression of cancer. In scenarios where the immune system has maladaptive development, gut microbiota dysbiosis becomes a high risk, and the expansion of certain microbes can result in the production of mutagenic toxins
[77]. These genotoxins include
Bacteroides fragilis toxin (Bft), cytolethal distending toxin (CDT), and colibactin
[14]. However, these highlight only a small number of bacterial-related toxins where more research is needed to identify and understand the carcinogenic potential with the full breadth of gut microbes
[14].
Adenomatous and serrated polyps are two precancerous lesions that often progress to colorectal cancer (CRC). In patients with adenomas, several species, including
Bilophila,
Desulfovibrio,
Mogibacterium, and the phylum Bacteroidetes, are increased in the feces, while patients with serrated polyps showed increases in the taxa Fusobacteria and class Erysipelotrichia
[15].
Fusobacterium nucleatum (
F. nucleatum) is characterized as an important microbe in CRC progression
[78][79].
F. nucleatum promotes TLR4 signaling and E-cadherin/β-catenin signaling, ultimately leading to activation of NF-κB and reduced miR-1322 expression
[80]. Regulatory micro-RNAs, such as miR-1322, can directly regulate the expression of CCL20, a cytokine that promotes CRC metastasis
[78]. Other literature points to
F. nucleatum adhesin A (FadA) as a key virulence factor that allows
F. nucleatum to adhere, invade, and erode the colonic epithelia
[16]. More recently, one study found that
F. nucleatum can promote CRC by suppressing anti-tumor immunity through activation of the inhibitory receptors CEACAM1 and TIGIT1, which downregulate NK cells and T cells
[81]. The
F. nucleatum strain Fn7-1 was also demonstrated to aggravate CRC development by elevating Th17 responses
[82]. These findings on
F. nucleatum are alarming because this is a SCFA-producing bacterium
[83], and SCFA have been, in general, highlighted as a potential therapeutic avenue for many inflammatory diseases.
F. nucleatum predominantly produce acetate and butyrate, where it was recently suggested that
F. nucleatum induces Th17 via free fatty acid receptor 2 (FFAR2), a SCFA receptor
[82]. Yet, loss of FFAR2 in mice aggravated tumor bacterial load and over activated DCs, eventually promoting T cell exhaustion
[84]. Moreover, butyrate from dietary fiber was found to be less metabolized in CRC cells because of the Warburg effect, allowing it to act as an HDAC inhibitor and promote acetylation of genes related to apoptosis
[85]. These findings emphasize that the pathologic effects of
F. nucleatum could be SCFA-independent, but further studies are needed to determine this possibility.
Another proposed mechanism in the development of CRC suggests that excessive dietary intake of sugars, proteins, and lipids could promote the growth of bile-tolerant microbes, which increase production of secondary bile acids, such as DCA and LCA, and by-products, such as hydrogen sulfide. Excessive secondary bile acids are genotoxic and may produce a pro-inflammatory environment that could promote the development of CRC
[15]. In particular, DCA can stimulate intestinal carcinogenesis by activating epidermal growth factor receptor-dependent release of the metalloprotease ADAM-17
[86]. DCA also activates β-catenin signaling
[87] and drives malignant transformations in Lgr5-expressing (Lgr5+) cancer stem cells
[88] for CRC growth and invasiveness. However, bacteria associated with secondary bile acid production, i.e.,
Clostridium cluster XlVa, were significantly decreased in IBD patients, which was accompanied by reduced transformation of primary to secondary bile acids
[89]. In addition to bile acids, the gut microbial metabolite folate can worsen CRC pathogenesis by triggering AhR signaling and expanding Th17 levels
[90]. Similar to SCFA, more investigation is needed to discern the potential pro-tumorigenic effects of gut-microbiota-derived bile acids.
There are distinct microbiota-dependent immunological responses in CRC. In terms of innate immune responses,
A. muciniphila enrichment facilitated M1 macrophage polarization in an NLRP3-dependent manner that suppressed colon tumorigenesis
[91]. Likewise, intestinal adherent
E. coli can increase IL-10-producing macrophages, which limits intestinal inflammation and restricts tumor formation
[92]. In terms of adaptive immunity, microbial dysbiosis hyperstimulates CD8
+ T cells to promote chronic inflammation and early T cell exhaustion, which contributes to colon tumor susceptibility
[93]. Intestinal cancer cells can also respond to the microbiota by inducing calcineurin-dependent IL-6 secretion, which promotes tumor expression of the co-inhibitory molecules B7H3/B7H4 that diminish anti-tumor CD8
+ T cells
[94]. Comparatively, introduction of
Helicobacter hepaticus induced T follicular helper cells that restored anti-tumor immunity in a mouse CRC model
[95]. Compared with macrophages and Th17 cells, γδ T cells and resident memory T cells were found at lower frequencies in the colonic tissue of CRC patients
[96]. It would be interesting to investigate whether an immune cell panel could be developed for early diagnosis of CRC.
5. Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC)
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common primary liver cancer, is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide
[97]. The main etiology for HCC pathogenesis comes from pre-existing liver diseases, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and steatohepatitis, that lead to cirrhosis
[98]. This is further complicated by other concomitants in NAFLD patients, including insulin resistance, obesity, and metabolic disorders that further promote hepatic inflammation and tumorigenesis through IL-6 and TNF-α
[99]. The liver is the ‘first stop’ for venous blood coming from the intestines, making it vulnerable to the gut microbiota via microbial translocation across the intestinal–epithelial barrier or contact with absorbed microbial metabolites
[100]. The aforementioned well-known effects of gut microbiota dysbiosis, including disruption of gut barrier, translocation of microbes into the bloodstream, and subsequent inflammatory immune responses via induction of PRRs by PAMPs, such as LPS, are strongly correlated to the pathogenesis of NAFLD, liver cirrhosis, and HCC
[17][100]. While it has long been thought that gut microbiota dysbiosis precedes the development of HCC, this causal relationship has not been explored in depth until more recently. Behary, Raposo et al. recently found, before HCC progression, that gut microbiota dysbiosis is in tandem with early onset liver injury that is followed by an LPS-dependent Th1- and Th17-mediated cytokine response
[101]. Further investigation should determine whether gut microbiota dysbiosis is a cause or consequence in the liver injury preceding HCC.
Increased
Enterobacteriaceae and
Streptococcus and reduction in
Akkermansia, alongside elevated levels of inflammatory mediators, such as CCL3, CCL4, CCL5, IL-8, and IL-13, have been noted in patients with NAFLD-associated HCC
[102]. A more recent study found decreased abundance of SCFA-producing bacteria and increased LPS-producing bacteria in patients with cirrhosis-induced HCC but no significant evidence of gut microbiota dysbiosis in other liver diseases, such as hepatitis C, hepatitis B, or alcoholic liver disease
[103]. Broadly speaking, however, it should be noted that altered microbial populations observed among multiple studies are not consistent with each other
[102][104][105][106]. Furthermore, while it is generally thought that SCFAs produced by gut microbes have several benefits for humans, it was recently discovered that inulin, a precursor of the SCFA butyrate, can promote the progression to HCC in genetically altered dysbiotic mice
[18]. Other studies have focused on the impact of microbial metabolites on HCC. For instance, a high-fat diet led to gut overgrowth of Gram-positive organisms that generate secondary bile acids, i.e., DCA
[19]. DCA can work in concert with lipoteichoic acid to activate TLR2 and subsequently downregulate anti-tumor immunity, creating a microenvironment favorable for the development of HCC
[107][108]. Overall, it appears that gut microbiota metabolites are potentially pro-tumorigenic for the liver.
6. Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is heavily linked to metabolic syndrome, a condition which involves a set of interrelated diseases—mainly atherosclerosis, NAFLD, hypertension, and type II diabetes mellitus (TIIDM)—that arise from chronic, low-grade inflammation
[109]. Many cells with high metabolic activity, such as parenchymal cells in the liver and pancreas, adipocytes, and skeletal myocytes, participate in extensive crosstalk with immune cells. Any perturbation of the microbiome has the potential to alter host immune function and, by extension, may have the ability to cause or alter disease processes in metabolically active tissues. The recognition of LPS and other microbial PAMPs by PRRs are thought to be a key driver in this low-grade inflammatory state
[20]. Trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a microbial co-metabolite, is also noted to cause low-grade inflammation through NF-κB signaling, inflammasome activation, and increased production of free radicals
[110][111]. Furthermore, TMAO leads to atherosclerosis and, thus, heart disease by impairing cholesterol metabolism in macrophages and contributing to the formation of foam cells
[112]. Indeed, higher serum TMAO is correlated with increased risk of atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, stroke, and vascular inflammation
[21][22], and TMAO is currently being considered as a biomarker for adverse cardiovascular events
[113]. More recent research has discovered phenylacetylglutamine (PAGln) as a microbial metabolite related to CVD via adrenergic receptor activation and pro-thrombotic effects
[114][115]. There are multiple potential emerging roles for PAGln in cardiovascular medicine, such as being used as a diagnostic marker or even as a predictor for responsiveness to β-blocker therapy for CVD patients
[115].
7. Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a disease separated into two classes: type I diabetes mellitus (TIDM) involves autoimmune destruction of pancreatic islet cells, while type II diabetes mellitus (TIIDM) involves acquired insulin insensitivity. Though much research involving microbiota and diabetes revolves around TIIDM and obesity, it has been shown that increasing dietary SCFA consumption can lead to altered microbiota and distinct immune profiles in TIDM patients
[116]. Increasing dietary SCFAs, such as butyrate and acetate, were also shown to work synergistically to confer protection against autoreactive T cell populations and TIDM in mice
[117]. Comparatively, administration of
Parabacteroides distasonis accelerated the development of T1DM in a mouse model, and this was because of aberrant immune responses, including elevated CD8
+ T cells and decreased Foxp3
+ CD4
+ Treg cells
[118]. Of note, dysregulated bile acid metabolism was found to be a potential predisposing factor for islet autoimmunity and type 1 diabetes
[119].
The microbiome and immune systems are both heavily involved in the pathogenesis of TIIDM. Branched-chain amino acids are produced by
Prevotella copri (
P. copri) and
Bacteroides vulgatus spp., and
P. copri directly induces insulin resistance in mouse models
[120][121]. Depletion of commensal
A. muciniphila compromises the intestinal barrier, resulting in translocation of endotoxin into the bloodstream and subsequent activation of CCR2+ monocytes. This results in conversion of pancreatic B1a cells into 4BL cells, which release inflammatory mediators and cause reversible or irreversible insulin resistance
[122]. On the other hand, microbial metabolites, such as linoleic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, have protective effects against insulin resistance and TIIDM through anti-inflammatory effects and prevention of lipotoxicity
[123]. FMT has also been shown to reduce fasting blood glucose levels and decrease insulin resistance in mice with TIIDM
[124]. Furthermore, some of the therapeutic effects of several anti-diabetic drugs can be due, in part, to their ability to alter the microbiota
[125][126][127].
8. Hypertension
Several studies have observed significantly altered microbiome compositions between normotensive and hypertensive mice, though specific microbial profiles in hypertensive mice are dependent on the hypertension model used
[128][129][130][131]. In the angiotensin II model of hypertension, lack of microbiota in germ-free mice protected against hypertension partly by decreasing inflammatory cell populations in the blood
[132]. Yet, germ-free mice were more prone to kidney injury following an angiotensin II and high-salt diet combination regimen
[133]. Furthermore, reintroduction of microbiota to hypotensive germ-free mice re-established vascular contractility
[134]. Generally, the microbiota composition differs between hypertensive and normotensive animals and, interestingly, cross-fostering hypertensive pups with normotensive dams can reduce blood pressure in the former group
[135]. Similar to CVD, the gut metabolite TMAO also has relevance to hypertension. A recent study discovered TMAO exacerbated vasoconstriction via ROS in angiotensin II-induced hypertensive mice
[136]. In a similar manner, high-salt-induced DC activation is associated with microbial dysbiosis-mediated hypertension
[137]. Comparatively, the ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate has been shown to be decreased in high-salt-fed hypertensive rats; rescuing with the β-hydroxybutyrate precursor 1,3 butanediol decreased blood pressure and kidney inflammation through prevention of the NLRP3-mediated inflammasome
[138]. While HSD has been shown elsewhere to decrease
Lactobacillus spp. and induce Th17 cell populations, this appears to be through a distinctly different mechanism
[139].
9. Rheumatoid Arthritis
The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a systemic autoimmune disease characterized primarily by inflammation of joints, is becoming more understood. RA is a multifactorial disease with multiple identified alleles and environmental factors conferring increased susceptibility to the disease. A potentially important microbial genus in the development of RA is
Prevotella. This was first identified in 2013 by Scher et al., which found that patients with new onset RA had significantly increased abundance of
Prevotella spp., particularly
Prevotella copri, compared with healthy controls
[23]. However, the
Prevotella population did not increase in patients with chronic RA
[23]. Since then, multiple studies have found further correlations between various
Prevotella species and RA
[140][141][142]. However, it is unclear whether
Prevotella spp. itself contributes to the pathogenesis of RA, or the immunological environment created by RA increases abundance of
Prevotella in the gut.
Other notable bacterial shifts in the gut microbiota for RA patients include a bloom in Proteobacteria,
Clostridium cluster XlVa, and
Ruminococcus, which were correlated with less CD4
+ T cells and Treg cells
[143]. Using the K/BxN autoimmune arthritis model, it was found that SFB-mediated cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) reduction caused autoreactive T follicular helper cells
[144][145]. The accumulation of T follicular helper cells and Th17 cells in arthritis appears to be age-dependent
[146], which helps to explain why RA is found mostly in the older population. Interestingly, though, the gut microbiota seems to predominantly affect T follicular helper cells, not Th17 cells, as confirmed by antibiotic treatment of the K/BxN autoimmune arthritis model
[147]. Of note, it was recently reported that collagen-induced RA in mice causes an aberrancy in circadian rhythmic patterns in the gut microbiome, resulting in reduced barrier integrity due to an alteration in circulating microbial-derived factors, such as tryptophan metabolites
[148].
SCFAs, specifically butyrate, have been proposed as a therapeutic option for RA. Butyrate supplementation was found to promote Treg cells by inhibiting HDAC expression, and it downregulated pro-inflammatory cytokine genes in RA
[149]. Moreover, butyrate alleviated arthritis by directly inducing the differentiation of functional follicular Treg cells in vitro by enhancing histone acetylation via HDAC inhibition
[150]. Furthermore, butyrate reduced arthritis severity by increasing the levels of AhR ligands, i.e., serotonin-derived metabolite 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid, where AhR activation supported regulatory B cell function
[151]. In addition to SCFA, the gut-microbiota-derived metabolites LCA, DCA, isoLCA, and 3-oxoLCA were also very recently found to exhibit anti-arthritis effects. Specifically, isoLCA and 3-oxoLCA inhibited Th17 differentiation and promoted M2 macrophage polarization
[152]. These effects of secondary bile acids could be synergized with
Parabacteroides distasonis probiotic supplementation
[152]. The newfound findings of secondary bile acids are monumental and need additional investigation.
10. Allergic Diseases
Allergies occur when the immune system becomes hypersensitized to nonpathogenic foreign antigens. Common hypersensitivities include allergic rhinitis, food allergy, eczema, atopic dermatitis, and asthma. Several factors responsible for the development of allergies, such as reduced microbial exposure, cesarean delivery, diet, and antibiotic use are strongly linked to changes in gut microbiome composition
[153][154][155][156]. Gut microbiota dysbiosis, in turn, increases risk for allergies, particularly food allergies
[24][25]. Dysbiosis induced by antibiotic use is sufficient to increase allergic symptoms, elevate intestinal inflammation, and disrupt gut mucosal tight junction in sensitized mice
[157]. A high-fat diet generally has effects similar to antibiotics, causing gut microbiota dysbiosis and subsequently increasing risk for food allergies
[158]. Changes in gut microbiota composition immediately after birth, when the microbiome is still establishing, appears to have a particularly large impact on the development of allergic diseases later in life
[159]. Of note, the vaginal microbiota can also reflect allergy risk, where
Lactobacillus-dominated vaginal microbiota clusters were related to infant serum IgE status at 1 year of age
[160].
Several studies reinforce the concept that dysbiosis is heavily linked to allergic disease, especially asthma. Individuals with atopic asthma have significantly higher fecal levels of
Lactobacillus and
E. coli compared with healthy individuals
[161]. In terms of microbiota metabolites, 12,13-diHOME (a relatively uncharacterized linoleic acid) is commonly found in neonates at high risk for asthma
[162]. It was recently found that the bacterial epoxide hydrolase, which produces 12,13-diHOME, is also higher in concentration during pulmonary inflammation, and 12,13-diHOME reduced Treg cells in the lung
[163][164]. Comparatively, the AhR ligand tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin was able to attenuate delayed-type hypersensitivity by inducing Treg cells, suppressing Th17 cells, and reversing gut microbiota dysbiosis
[165]. Likewise, individuals with higher fecal SCFAs, such as butyrate and propionate, early in life had markedly decreased risk for development of asthma and atopy
[166]. Of potential therapeutic value, SCFA supplementation could modulate T cells and DCs to alleviate asthma
[167]. Similarly, maternal supplementation with dietary fiber or acetate was shown to protect neonates from asthma by promoting acetylation of the
Foxp3 gene
[168]. Dietary fiber feeding also gave protection from food allergens via retinal dehydrogenase activity in CD103
+ DCs
[169]. Of note, the dietary fiber inulin was recently found to promote allergen- and helminth-induced type 2 inflammation, and this was bile-acid dependent
[170]. Overall, it appears that the influence of gut microbiota on allergies is highly regulated by metabolites, but each microbial product has independent effects that can either promote or demote hypersensitivity.
11. Psychiatric Disorders: The Gut–Brain Axis
The aforementioned information describes the gut microbiota to influence both intra- and extraintestinal diseases. One other organ that the gut microbiota can impact is the brain where a ‘stressed gut’ is becoming more recognized as a pathologic entity in several neurological disorders. For pre-term infants with an immature gut microbiota,
Klebsiella overgrowth has been found to be highly predictive for brain damage and is associated with a pro-inflammatory immunological tone
[171]. Parkinson’s disease is marked by an accumulation of alpha-synuclein in the gut, and patients often suffer from a leaky gut due to microbiota dysbiosis with higher populations of
Prevotellaceae [172]. These symptoms can be reversed by administering probiotics
[173][174]. Recently, the idea that microbiota shapes mental health has started gaining traction. Taxonomic and metabolic signatures have been proposed as a biomarker for stratifying major depressive disorder into mild, moderate, and severe symptom categories
[175]. Several studies studying differences in microbiota between those who are mentally healthy and those with mental health disorders, such as anxiety and/or depression, have suggested that microbial colonization before and after birth plays a major role later in life. For instance, maternal stress can induce abnormal neurodevelopment in the offspring, which has been marked with a significant reduction of
Bifidobacterium spp.
[176]. Moreover, neonates delivered by C-section, as opposed to vaginal birth, have a greater risk of developing psychosis later in life
[173][177]. Impressively, early-life oxytocin treatment can minimize behavior deficits seen in C-section delivered pups
[178].
A cocktail of broad-spectrum, gut-microbiota-depleting antibiotics, specifically at the postnatal and weaning stages, can cause long-lasting effects of anxiety-related behavioral outcomes into adolescence and adulthood
[179]. A recent elegant study by Li et al. delineated that infant exposure to antibiotics resulted in anxiety- and depression-like behaviors and memory impairments that were concurrent with an increase inflammatory milieu; similar findings were seen following long-term antibiotic treatment at the adolescent and adult stages in mice
[180]. Early-life disruption of the gut microbiota could also cause sex-specific anxiety-like behavior, where LPS treatment to Wistar rats resulted in less social interaction in males compared with the females, who had an increase in social behavior
[181]. It is noteworthy that FMT from an ‘aged microbiome’ to germ-free mice decreased SCFAs, and this was associated with cognitive decline
[182]. The gut microbiota–immunity–brain axis is still in its nascency and requires investigation to establish mechanisms involved in immune regulation responsible for behavioral abnormalities and neurological disorders. However, it must be emphasized to look at other microorganisms besides bacteria because mucosal fungi were found to promote social behavior through complementary Th17 immune mechanisms
[183].