Gut microbiota: next frontier in understanding human health and development of biotherapeutics

Abstract

The gut microbiota is a remarkable asset for human health. As a key element in the development and prevention of specific diseases, its study has yielded a new field of promising biotherapeutics. This review provides comprehensive and updated knowledge of the human gut microbiota, its implications in health and disease, and the potentials and limitations of its modification by currently available biotherapeutics to treat, prevent and/or restore human health, and future directions. Homeostasis of the gut microbiota maintains various functions which are vital to the maintenance of human health. Disruption of the intestinal ecosystem equilibrium (gut dysbiosis) is associated with a plethora of human diseases, including autoimmune and allergic diseases, colorectal cancer, metabolic diseases, and bacterial infections. Relevant underlying mechanisms by which specific intestinal bacteria populations might trigger the development of disease in susceptible hosts are being explored across the globe. Beneficial modulation of the gut microbiota using biotherapeutics, such as prebiotics, probiotics, and antibiotics, may favor health-promoting populations of bacteria and can be exploited in development of biotherapeutics. Other technologies, such as development of human gut models, bacterial screening, and delivery formulations eg, microencapsulated probiotics, may contribute significantly in the near future. Therefore, the human gut microbiota is a legitimate therapeutic target to treat and/or prevent various diseases. Development of a clear understanding of the technologies needed to exploit the gut microbiota is urgently required.

Contribution to the immunomodulatory characteristics of probiotic bacteria

“…The number of clinical studies scientifically examining the prevention, alleviation, or treatment of diseases has been growing recently (Hoesl & Smith et al 2011), in order not only to find evidence for health claims for a particular group of "healthy consumers", but also to test the use of pro-and prebiotics in medicine (in the prevention and treatment). The studies are based on the knowledge that the interaction of microflora with the mucosa-associated immune system of the gut has a significant influence on the development and function of the immune system, and hence on the health of the whole organism (Prakash et al 2011). Despite important advances in the research of these interactions, many of them still remain unknown.…”

Эколого-биологическая характеристика Lactobacillus acidophilus

“…У всех исследованных млекопитающих в ЖКТ обнаружена разнообразная лактофлора, представленная и кокковидными, и палочковидными формами; L. acidophilus выявлен в рубце и сычуге молодняка и (реже) взрослых жвачных животных (крупный рогатый скот, козы, овцы), в ЖКТ поросят, жеребят, крыс и мышей (Savage, 1977;Timoshko, 1990;Borody et al, 2014). Показано, что в эпителиальных тканях подвздошной, слепой и ободочной кишок собак локализовано большое разнообразие лактобацилл, среди которых преобладает L. acidophilus (Davis et al, 1977;Prakash et al, 2011). Этот же вид, а также L. salivarius, доминируют среди лактобацилл ЖКТ крыс (Raibaud et al, 1973).…”

“…Кроме того, если опыты проводятся на сельскохозяйственных животных, положительные результаты испытаний легко перевести в экономический эквивалент. Не удивительно, что даже сам термин «пробиотик» первоначально был предложен как противопоставление термину «антибиотик» для препаратов лечебно-профилактического назначения, содержащих живые микроорганизмы кишечного происхождения и способных послужить альтернативой порочной практике применения в животноводстве так называемых «кормовых антибиотиков» (Fuller, 1989;Prakash et al, 2011). Уже первое поколение разработанных в нашей стране кормовых добавок пробиотического назначения (ацидофильная бульонная культура, «АБК», и пропионово-ацидофильная бульонная культура, «ПАБК»), дало замечательные результаты при использовании в сельском хозяйстве (свиноводстве, овцеводстве, мясном и молочном животноводстве, пушном звероводстве, птицеводстве), а также при лечении домашних животных (Yashkov, Cherniy, 1982;Gedek, 1987).…”

Effects of Intake of Pickles Containing Lactobacillus brevis on Immune Activity and Bowel Symptoms in Female Students

“…LAB, which live in a symbiotic relationship with humans in the intestines, recognize pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and food allergens as foreign and mediate bodily immune functions to eliminate them-i.e., the system by which intestinal bacteria, which naturally live symbiotically in host intestines, defend against pathogenic bacteria present in foods that are consumed. We hope that the system by which intracellular components released from dead cells affect the intestinal tissues of their human hosts to produce physiological effects will be elucidated in the future (34)(35)(36).…”