Diet–microbiome–disease: Investigating diet’s influence on infectious disease resistance through alteration of the gut microbiome

Abstract

Abiotic and biotic factors can affect host resistance to parasites. Host diet and host gut microbiomes are two increasingly recognized factors influencing disease resistance. In particular, recent studies demonstrate that (1) particular diets can reduce parasitism; (2) diets can alter the gut microbiome; and (3) the gut microbiome can decrease parasitism. These three separate relationships suggest the existence of indirect links through which diets reduce parasitism through an alteration of the gut microbiome. However, such links are rarely considered and even more rarely experimentally validated. This is surprising because there is increasing discussion of the therapeutic potential of diets and gut microbiomes to control infectious disease. To elucidate these potential indirect links, we review and examine studies on a wide range of animal systems commonly used in diet, microbiome, and disease research. We also examine the relative benefits and disadvantages of particular systems for the study of these indirect links and conclude that mice and insects are currently the best animal systems to test for the effect of diet-altered protective gut microbiomes on infectious disease. Focusing on these systems, we provide experimental guidelines and highlight challenges that must be overcome. Although previous studies have recommended these systems for microbiome research, here we specifically recommend these systems because of their proven relationships between diet and parasitism, between diet and the microbiome, and between the microbiome and parasite resistance. Thus, they provide a sound foundation to explore the three-way interaction between diet, the microbiome, and infectious disease.

Sugar feeding enhances gut immunity and protects against arboviral infection in the mosquito vectorAedes aegypti

“…Diet, including sugar, can induce gut microbial shifts (both in terms of diversity and abundance) in different hosts (Singh, Chang et al 2017, Harris, de Roode et al 2019, Satokari 2020). Since endogenous gut bacteria can modulate immune gene expression in mosquitoes (Jupatanakul, Sim et al 2014, Rodgers, Gendrin et al 2017), we hypothesised that the increase of immune gene expression levels in the digestive tract following sugar feeding might be influenced by gut bacteria.…”

Circadian dynamics of the teleost skin immune-microbiome interface

“…Intriguingly, trout raised in constant light had a significantly lower microbiome diversity and, when challenged with Argulus, exhibited greater shifts in both taxonomic composition and functional potential compared to fish under regular light-dark regimes. Given the growing body of evidence for the importance of "healthy" microbial communities 54 for effective host homeostasis and disease resistance 55,56 , characterising circadian disruption to microbiomes is important for understanding animal disease risks.…”

Can the foregut nematode Haemonchus contortus and medicinal plants influence the fecal microbial community of the experimentally infected lambs?

“…The influence of diet on fermentation patterns and the microbial population is another factor that could modulate gut parasitic infections. There is increasing discussion on the therapeutic potential of diets [41]. Studies on rumen fermentation and gut microbiome reveal the ambiguous effects of medicinal herb supplements [8,39,[42][43][44][45].…”