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Topic Review
Biography
Topic Review
Quorum Sensing in the Gut
An imbalance in gut microbiota, termed dysbiosis, has been shown to affect host health. Several factors, including dietary changes, have been reported to cause dysbiosis with its associated pathologies that include inflammatory bowel disease, cancer, obesity, depression, and autism. Quorum sensing (QS) is a complex network of cell–cell communication that is mediated by small diffusible molecules known as autoinducers (AIs). Using AIs, bacteria interact with one another and coordinate their gene expression based on their population density for the benefit of the whole community or one group over another. Bacteria that cannot synthesize their own AIs secretly “listen” to the signals produced by other bacteria, a phenomenon known as “eavesdropping”. AIs impact gut microbiota equilibrium by mediating intra- and interspecies interactions as well as interkingdom communication.
422
27 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Reevaluating Therapeutic Use of Antibiotics in Liver Cirrhosis
Impairments in liver function lead to different complications. As chronic liver disease progresses (CLD), hypoalbuminemia and alterations in bile acid compositions lead to changes in gut microbiota and, therefore, in the host–microbiome interaction, leading to a proinflammatory state. Alterations in gut microbiota composition and permeability, known as gut dysbiosis, have important implications in CLD; alterations in the gut–liver axis are a consequence of liver disease, but also a cause of CLD. Furthermore, gut dysbiosis plays an important role in the progression of liver cirrhosis and decompensation, particularly with complications such as hepatic encephalopathy and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
333
26 Sep 2023
Topic Review
Regulation of NFR2 in Chronic Liver Diseases
Chronic liver disease (CLD) affects a significant portion of the global population, leading to a substantial number of deaths each year. Distinct forms like non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and alcoholic fatty liver disease (ALD), though they have different etiologies, highlight shared pathologies rooted in oxidative stress. Central to liver metabolism, mitochondria are essential for ATP production, gluconeogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, and heme synthesis. However, in diseases like NAFLD, ALD, and liver fibrosis, mitochondrial function is compromised by inflammatory cytokines, hepatotoxins, and metabolic irregularities. This dysfunction, especially electron leakage, exacerbates the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), augmenting liver damage. Amidst this, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) emerges as a cellular protector. It not only counters oxidative stress by regulating antioxidant genes but also maintains mitochondrial health by overseeing autophagy and biogenesis.
447
13 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Relationship between Gut Microbiota and Cardiovascular Disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide. Identification of possible preventive strategies is of central interest to avoid CVD onset and progression. In this regard, intensive medical and scientific activity is currently employed in the management of traditional risk factors, but despite maximum medical therapy, there is still a residual risk of undetermined etiology. The gut microbiota is gaining increasing interest as one of the potentially modifiable factors that are involved in the pathogenesis of several diseases, including CVD. A multitude of microorganisms lives symbiotically with the human host; 10–100 trillion microbes among bacteria, viruses, fungi, and helminths are located in the gut. They serve a multitude of functions, which include maintenance of intestinal homeostasis and defence against external aggressive agents, modulation of the immune response, and production of metabolites.
289
01 Jun 2023
Topic Review
Relationship between Gut Microbiota and SARS-CoV-2 Infection
Gut microbiota is increasingly recognized to play a pivotal role in various human physiological functions and diseases. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, research has suggested that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is also involved in the development and severity of COVID-19 symptoms by regulating SARS-CoV-2 entry and modulating inflammation.
498
17 Feb 2023
Topic Review
Relevance of Fish Oil in Gastrointestinal-Cancer-Associated Cachexia
Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which aid in energy metabolism and utilizing fatty acids high in energy density. It has been shown to reduce levels of pro-inflammatory mediators because fish oil contains high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). In a study of GI cancer patients undergoing surgical intervention, adding fish oil to arginine improved post-surgical outcomes and shortened recovery compared to no nutritional support in 305 patients.
297
07 Aug 2023
Topic Review
Rheumatoid Arthritis and Prevotella copri
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a debilitating disease caused by several factors, which have only been partially identified. Globally approximately 0.24% of people are affected by RA, with women being more affected than men. The gastrointestinal tract is an essential getaway for the intake of favorable and harmful microbes and their metabolites through food and drinks. The imbalance of gut microbiota can cause gut dysbiosis, which is caused by an abundance of Prevotella copri. In recent years there have been reports citing Prevotella copri as the causative organism for RA, but there also have been reports contradicting the above findings. This topical review attempts to bring the two viewpoints together and find common ground for a rational hypothesis.
2.1K
30 Jul 2021
Topic Review
Risk Factors for NAFLD-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) affects up to a quarter of the adult population in many developed and developing countries. This spectrum of liver disease ranges from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and cirrhosis. The incidence of NASH is projected to increase by up to 56% in the future. There is growing epidemiological evidence that NAFLD has become the fastest-growing cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in industrialized countries. The annual incidence of HCC varies between patients with NASH cirrhosis and patients with noncirrhotic NAFLD.
205
23 Nov 2023
Topic Review
Risk Factors for Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive malignant neoplastic diseases. The incidence and mortality rates of this disease vary depending on geographical area, which might be explained by the different exposure to risk factors. Currently, the risk factors for pancreatic cancer fall into two broad categories, namely extrinsic and intrinsic factors. Extrinsic factors include alcohol consumption, smoking, a diet rich in saturated fats, and viral infections such as chronic infection with hepatitis B and C viruses. The pathophysiological mechanisms explaining how these hepatotropic viruses contribute to the development of pancreatic cancer are not fully elucidated. The common origin of hepatocytes and pancreatic cells in the multipotent endodermal cells, the common origin of the blood vessels and biliary ducts of the pancreas and the liver, or chronic inflammatory changes may be involved in this interaction.
492
19 Apr 2022
Topic Review
Risk Factors of Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract. It is characterized by relapses and remissions, thus requiring lifelong treatment.
1.1K
21 Jun 2022
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